


Secret Feelings

by Larrys_Girl



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Bottom Harry, Fanfic, Fanfiction, Harry Styles - Freeform, Louis Tomlinson - Freeform, Love, M/M, Top Louis, Toplouis, bottomHarry, harry - Freeform, harrylouis, harrystyles, larry - Freeform, larry stylinson - Freeform, larrystylinson, louis - Freeform, louisharry, louistomlinson - Freeform, lovestory, one direction - Freeform, onedirection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:20:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 92,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28796790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larrys_Girl/pseuds/Larrys_Girl
Summary: For as long as Harry Styles can remember, he has known that he likes both girls and boys. He is now eighteen years old and goes to high school with his best friends. During his youth, he's been with both sexes. Not many people know about this, though. His closest friends only think he likes girls, and Harry has never bothered to tell them otherwise. However, it all gets complicated for Harry when he suddenly starts crushing on one of his best friends, Louis Tomlinson because Louis is the biggest ladies man of them all. Will Harry ever get his feelings reciprocated, or will he end up having to move on?
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 35
Kudos: 92





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written on my Wattpad account: @Larrys_Girl.
> 
> So, I came up with this idea about a new Larry fanfic. I hope you're going to like it. I'm going to use American spelling and words like "soccer" instead of "football".
> 
> I'm Swedish so there most likely will be mistakes, sorry! X
> 
> Also, I just want you all to know that I did not copy anything from Unbelievers in this story because I had honestly not read that fanfic before I started writing this and came up with my idea of certain things.
> 
> I hope you'll like this story x

**Prologue**

I never meant for this to happen, I swear I didn't. How it managed to do so anyway, I had no idea. It didn't only happen in a day, though. It had come creeping on me during the last couple of years. Ever since puberty, I believed, but I swear, it wasn't supposed to happen. I never meant to fall for one of my best friends.

But I did anyway.

The worst part of it was that I was sure he didn't feel the same way. Louis Tomlinson, falling for a guy? Pfft, yeah, sure. He was a ladies man, and he was great with them too. He never failed to hook up with one at a party and then take them home for the night. He was the best of us all.

So why did I have to fall for him out of all people? I couldn't tell how many times I had asked myself this. Too many, that was for sure. Every day was like torture, having to be around him while hearing him talk about all his flings. If only he knew, though. If only he knew how much I wanted to be the one he talked about.

The good thing about having feelings for Louis in particular was that I got to see him every day. However, I wasn't really sure it was a good thing considering it was hard to be around him without showing how much I liked him. I knew I couldn't do that. He would think I had gone crazy or something. I mean, Louis, Niall, Liam, and Zayn didn't even know I was bisexual. They thought I was just as big of a ladies man as they were. If only they knew.

Even if my four closest friends didn't know about the fact that I liked boys as well as girls, I had been with some of them during my teenage years. It was never anything serious with either of them, but then again, I had never had anything serious with a girl either. I had never felt as though I wanted to be in a relationship with someone until my feelings for Louis blossomed.

He made me feel something I had never felt before. The way my heart fluttered whenever someone just said his name. The way my breath hitched in my throat when he, for example, would take off his shirt in the locker room. The way he made goosebumps appear on my skin whenever he touched me, and the way he made butterflies erupt in my stomach whenever he smiled. I had never experienced that feeling before. He made me realize what really liking a person felt like.

So, it was pretty safe to say that I, Harry Styles, was crushing on my best friend, and sadly, there was nothing I could do about it other than keep it a secret.

__________________________


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

High school. A place where I had spent almost three years now, or two and a half to be specific. After these years, I had yet to conclude whether I liked it or not. Sure, it was nice to hang with your friends all day, but I was starting to grow tired of studying. It felt like I didn't know what a world without having school work was like, and I could already tell that the last semester wouldn't be better.

It had almost been a month since I was there, though. After summer break, Christmas break was the best time of the year because that meant no school work. Usually, at least.

However, that also meant I hadn't seen the guys in a while. Sure, we hung out outside of school as well, but it wasn't like being at school where we were together every second of every day. The last time I had hung out with the guys was last weekend at Niall's house. We didn't even have soccer practice during the break because apparently, we needed a break from that as well.

This meant I hadn't seen Louis in a week. That was a week too long. I missed hearing his melodic laughter that always made my heart flutter, and the crinkles by his eyes that would appear whenever he was truly happy. Not to mention those crystal blue eyes, or that cute, button nose. I missed everything about him.

However, it was Monday today, also the first day back at school after Christmas break. To say I was excited would be an understatement. It was just sad that it was only because I couldn't wait to see a specific person and not because of the other parts that came along with high school.

Did you notice my dilemma yet? Why I still couldn't decide whether I liked high school or not? If it wasn't for Louis, I was pretty sure I would have wished to be finished with it already, but now I wasn't so sure. Louis and I were friends, but what would happen when we finished high school? Where were we all heading after this?

I thought of all this while sitting on the school bus, looking out the window. Sadly, I was the only one out of me, Louis, Niall, Liam and Zayn that lived on the south side of the town, which meant I always rode the school bus alone. Honestly, I couldn't wait to get my driver's license because I was so tired of always having to get on time to these buses. Luckily, my eighteenth birthday was in only two weeks, so hopefully, I wouldn't be riding this bus much longer.

After school, when I didn't have soccer practice and when I didn't hang out with the guys, I usually worked at a diner in town to save up money for my future, but also a car once I got my license. You see, my dad left us when I was eleven, and ever since then, we'd had it pretty difficult with money. Mom didn't want to leave the house, even though she made just enough money to pay for it each month. That meant she never had enough to buy other stuff, let alone anything for her children.

Therefore, my sister Gemma and I had gotten ourselves jobs to make our own money, and I never complained about it because I liked to have money I had made myself and not received from my parents. I knew I was one of very few people at my school thinking that way, though, because I knew for a fact that neither Niall, Liam, Zayn nor Louis had ever had a job. They thought I was lame every time I had to tell them I couldn't hang out because I needed to work. I didn't care, though.

The school bus finally came to a stop outside of school, so I grabbed my bag from the seat beside me before getting up, slinging it over my shoulder. It was cold outside, being the middle of January and all, so I made sure to hug my arms around myself to keep warm as I walked across the schoolyard towards the entrance.

As soon as I was inside, I unzipped my black winter jacket and ran a hand through my chocolate brown curls while my feet brought me further towards my locker. It was located pretty far from the entrance, so I had to walk for a while to get there. That meant I passed by a lot of students who all seemed more talkative than usual, which wasn't surprising considering it was the first day back at school.

Some of them glanced my way when I walked by them, but I didn't turn to meet their gazes. I wasn't the most unknown student around here considering I played soccer on the school's team, and being friends with Liam, Niall, Zayn, and Louis didn't make matters worse either, but I didn't like to brag about it.

Once I arrived at my locker, I unlocked it to get rid of my bag and jacket. I then started thinking about what my first class was, having totally forgotten about it during Christmas break.

"Harry, my man!"

I turned around only to see a blonde-haired guy walking up to me, one of his arms already out to bring me into a side hug.

"Niall," I smiled, happy to see him. As I mentioned before, I wasn't used to be away from them for an entire week. "Feels like ages ago."

He nodded in agreement. "I know right? I'm fucking happy we're back at school. Soccer starts again, and I get to see you guys every day."

I couldn't help but smile at his words. "I love you too, man," I joked, making him chuckle.

"Have you seen the other lads? I just arrived here," Niall wondered, and I shook my head.

"Nope, I just arrived here as well. Maybe Louis overslept or drove off the street," I shrugged, a hint of humor in my voice.

Louis was a year older than the rest of us. He had to repeat a year because of his lack of presence during middle school. I bet he was mad at himself for it now, seeing as his old friends graduated last year, but I didn't exactly complain about it. If he never repeated that year before we met, I may not have known him like I did today.

Seeing as he was older, it meant that he already had his driver's license. Or, he had gotten it two weeks ago considering his birthday was on Christmas Eve. He had received a car from his parents as a birthday and Christmas present, and only a week later, he had been able to drive it alone. Honestly, I had been surprised that he got the license so fast considering he wasn't much of a studying type of guy, but I was happy for him. I bet Liam and Zayn were as well considering they lived close to him and could now ride with him to school. Those lucky bastards.

Niall's lips twitched. "Yeah, probably. So, how's it going with your driver's license, eh? Your birthday is coming up," he smirked, making me roll my eyes.

"I don't know, Niall. I hope I'm going to make it, but we'll see."

He patted my shoulder in reassurance. "I'm sure you will, mate. I'm sure you will."

Right then, three guys came walking towards us in the hallway. One with chocolate brown hair styled in a quiff with brown eyes, one with short, raven hair, a nice stubble on his cheeks and sparkly brown eyes, and then the last one, the one that always took my breath away.

I instantly did a double-take because damn, a week really was a long time. It felt like an eternity since I last saw Louis, and I could tell my body felt the same way judging by my pounding heart and my shaking hands. God, I was a mess.

Judging by the smug smile on Louis' face, I could tell that he had driven here. He had been so proud of himself for getting that driver's license, and I understood why. When or if I would get mine, I would be proud of myself too.

"Morning, guys," Zayn greeted, walking over to wrap an arm around Niall's shoulders. Louis and Liam stopped in front of us.

My eyes were stuck on Louis, taking in his appearance. He was wearing a black jacket with a white t-shirt underneath along with a pair of black, ripped skinny jeans. His feathery brown hair was styled perfectly to the side, that smile still prominent on his face. I found it hard to believe that he hadn't caught me staring yet.

"So, you didn't drive off the street then?" Niall laughed, looking at Louis whose mouth fell open.

"Well, of course not. Who said that?" He wondered, faking offended although I wondered if he actually was a little hurt.

I bit my bottom lip when Niall turned to me. "Harry did. But I mean, you guys hadn't shown up yet, and you are kind of a reckless driver, Louis," he shrugged, making Louis huff.

His blue eyes turned to me, his rounded eyebrows raised. "You thought I was going to drive off the street, huh?" He asked, ignoring the fact that Niall had just talked shit about his driving as well.

If it weren't for the fact that I could hear the challenging tone in his voice, I would've been nervous. I mean, the last thing I wanted was to have Louis being mad at me. However, Louis and I usually bickered with each other, so I should know that he didn't take me seriously.

"I mean, it was only two weeks ago you got that driver's license," I shrugged, the corners of my lips twitching.

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "You are definitely not getting a ride from me, Curly. You'll have to wait until you have your own driver's license."

I let out a whine. "Heey, that's mean."

He frowned. "You were mean first."

"Alright, guys. If you're quite finished, I wanted to tell you that Coach is going to pick a new captain of the team today," Niall interrupted.

My gaze snapped to the blonde-haired guy as my eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

The other guys seemed surprised about the news as well. "Finally, man. Ryan is the shitiest captain we've ever had. It was about time," Louis said in relief, and honestly, he was right. Ryan was the most selfish player on the team, and therefore not a worthy captain at all.

Liam and Zayn nodded in agreement. "Who do you think will be the new captain?" Niall continued, and it didn't take a second for us to make our minds up, all of our gazes landing on the feathery-haired boy.

Louis looked a bit surprised, but I could tell he was flattered at the same time. "What? You guys are great as well. I'm sure it's going to be a tough fight."

Liam shook his head. "You're a year older than us and Coach really likes you. Besides, you're a great teammate and a hell of a scorer," he said truthfully.

A smile formed on Louis' lips. "Thanks, mate. I appreciate it."

My eyes flicked between the two of them during their conversation, my eyebrows furrowed. I wanted to be the one who complimented Louis and made him smile like that. Why did Liam get the honor?

"I'm pretty sure class starts in a few minutes, so I've gotta go. See you later, guys," Niall announced, taking Zayn's arm off his shoulders before walking away.

"I should probably go too. My class is on the other side of the building," Zayn sighed. "Bye, guys," he said before taking off as well.

Liam placed a hand on Louis' shoulder. "Thanks for the ride, mate. I really appreciate it. See you guys later, yeah?"

I nodded while Louis gave him another smile. "Of course, mate. I'll be sure to drive you whenever you want because apart from some other people, you didn't insult my driving skills."

My mouth fell open at his words, and I could tell by the smirk on his face that he knew exactly what he was doing. Liam let out a chuckle before disappearing as well. I remained on my spot, staring at Louis.

"Where's your class?" He wondered, looking at me expectantly.

I was still a bit taken aback by what he just said, so it took a while until my brain started working normally again. "Uh, down that hallway," I replied, nodding in the right direction.

"Cool. Mine too."

I know, I know, I know, I wanted to tell him. I even knew that he had drama class the first thing in the morning. If only he knew that I cared so much that I had learned so many things about him. I mean, I remembered all of his classes, but I couldn't even remember what I had first thing in the morning.

We started walking down the hallway after Louis had grabbed his books from his locker across the hallway. My heart was racing in my chest because I was spending alone time with him. I rarely got to do that considering the other boys were always around otherwise.

"You do know I was only joking about your driving, right?" I couldn't help but ask because, for some reason, I was afraid that he had taken it seriously after all.

He shook his head, looking at the side of my face. "Of course, Harold. However, I am aware that you actually do mean it, so I'm still making you pay for it. I'm not driving you anywhere."

I pouted my lips, although a smile was on my face. "Well, good thing my eighteenth birthday is coming up then," I said smugly, happy that he wasn't genuinely mad at me.

"Good for you, Styles. Good for you," he smirked, shaking his head in amusement. "Here's my stop. I'll see you later then, mate, yeah?"

I came to a halt, turning to look at him. "Of course. Bye, Louis."

"Bye!"

There was only one word repeating itself in my brain during the rest of the walk to my classroom.

Mate.

Would I ever get to hear him call me something other than that?

____________________________________


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2**

My first class was Economics, something I found okay at least. The only downside was that neither of the guys was in it, so that meant I was alone. However, I had befriended a few other people in this class, and one of them was the girl sitting in front of me, Emily. Or, I hadn't really befriended her. She was more of an acquaintance, but anyway.

I was doodling in my notebook, not really listening to the teacher when Emily turned around to face me. She had long blonde hair that reached below her breasts and green eyes. A hopeful smile was on her face when she looked at me. I instantly got suspicious.

"You have something on your mind, Emily?" I asked, and her eyebrows shot up.

"Is it that obvious?" She wondered.

I tilted my head to the side, letting out a laugh in amusement. "Yes, it is."

She rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. You win. I was wondering if you wanted to come to my party on Friday?" She asked with the same hopeful smile on her face as before.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "How many people have you invited?"

She let out a laugh. "I'm not a nerd, Harry. I know a lot of people."

A smirk made its way to my lips. "I was just kidding. I'll be there, and I'm bringing the guys if that's okay?"

"I didn't expect anything else," she smirked. "And you can tell Louis that he is specifically invited."

A lump formed in my throat at her words, and I could feel my heart sink in my chest. I nodded my head with a frown between my eyebrows. "I... uh, I'm sure he'll be glad to hear that."

"Awesome," she grinned before turning back around in her seat.

I looked up at the teacher who hadn't seemed to notice my and Emily's conversation with the frown still evident on my face. This was one of the situations I hated when it came to having feelings for Louis; Every time a girl openly showed her attraction to him right in front of me. I just wished he was with me so I could throw it in their faces that he was taken.

During the rest of the lesson, I listened to what the teacher said while continuing doodling in my notebook. If my thoughts wandered to different ways of how I was going to keep Louis away from Emily at the party, then it was only up to me.

The second the bell rang, I gathered my books and exited the classroom. When I got to my locker, the guys were already there, chatting with each other. Niall was leaning against the lockers, Liam standing in front of him. Zayn was standing beside Niall and Louis was in front of him. Both Liam and Louis had their backs towards me.

"Hey, Harry," Niall greeted with a wide smile on his face, making both Liam and Louis turn around to face me as well. "How was class?"

My locker was right beside Zayn, so I walked over to toss my books into it. "It's my favorite class, so it wasn't that bad," I shrugged, slamming my locker shut before turning to them. "How was yours?"

He pursed his lips. "Same old nonsense, I guess."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "I see. Actually, there's something I wanted to tell you guys. I talked to Emily in my class, and--"

"Oh, you've got a little fling?" Louis smirked, cutting me off.

I wanted to snort at his comment, but I just shook my head. If only he knew that it wasn't each other we were interested in but him. "Not really. She asked me if we wanted to come to her party on Friday."

Louis pursed his lips. "Who is this Emily girl?"

No one you have to know about.

"She's a nice person with a lot of friends, so it's going to be a party we don't want to miss," I shrugged.

Why did I tell Emily we were going to this party to begin with? Right, because it would be weird if I declined her offer. I mean, we never declined going to parties.

"Sounds awesome!" Niall burst out with a genuine smile on his face.

The three other guys agreed with a nod of their heads. "Yeah, you can tell her we'll be there. Do you think there will be a lot of girls? It's been way too long since I got laid, man. I mean, when was the last time we were at a party? Before Christmas? God, it's been so long," Zayn muttered.

Louis' lips twitched at his words. "I agree, mate. We could definitely use some partying to get some girls," he chuckled, making me swallow hard.

Liam rolled his eyes, probably because he had already settled down. He was happy together with a girl named Alice, and they had been together for almost a year now. Before her, Liam had been just like the rest of us, finding different girls to hook up with every weekend, though.

However, what neither of them knew was that lately, I had been starting to step down on hooking up with people. I found it more and more difficult to be with them the more my feelings for Louis grew. However, Liam, Zayn, Louis, and Niall didn't need to know that, so I always made sure to be seen with someone at every party anyway.

Before any of us could say something else, the bell rang, and we all grabbed our books before walking away in different directions to get to our separate classes.

\-----

The first day of school was over much quicker than I first expected it to. I bet that was because it had been a long time since we were last here and since we saw each other. I didn't complain, though.

I was currently standing at my locker, grabbing my black winter jacket to shrug it on when Liam and Louis joined me. All of our lockers were located in the same area, which was great since we all always met up between classes.

"You're coming to soccer practice later, Harry, right?" Liam asked when he had grabbed his jacket and bag. There were only five lockers between mine and Louis', so he barely had to move to get where we were standing.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world. It's been too long of a break," I replied, grabbing my bag and shutting the locker before turning to them.

Liam nodded in agreement while Louis tilted his head to the side. "So, you don't have to work after school today, then?" He teased, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. "I don't work when we have practice, Louis."

A smile made its way to his face. "Good for you. Wouldn't want to miss the chance of becoming the new captain, eh?" He winked, making my heart flutter in my chest, although I knew he didn't mean anything flirtatious with it.

"It's not like I stand a chance, but I don't want to miss out when the new captain is getting picked," I shrugged. "On another note, you should stop teasing me about my job, Louis. I'm at least making some well-deserved money apart from some other people."

His mouth formed the shape of an 'o' while I flashed him a smug smile. I thought it was clever to use the same monologue he had used on me earlier. "Watch it, Styles," he said with narrowed eyes. "If you ever want a ride in my car, you should be careful with what you say."

I rolled my eyes. "I think I'll survive."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Suit yourself." He then turned to Liam who had fished his phone from his jeans pocket and was now typing away on it. "You coming, Liam?"

The brown-haired boy looked up from his phone. "Oh, yeah, sure. Is it okay if Alice joins us? Apparently, her school bus is running late due to the weather conditions."

A cocky smile formed on Louis' lips. "Of course. There's plenty of room in the car for her," he said, his eyes locked on me.

"Awesome."

With that said, the two walked away, leaving me to stare at their backs. I just shook my head with a smile on my face. There was just something about my and Louis' playful banter that I loved. As long as we were both on the same page with the jokes, I could do it all day.

Zayn and Niall had finished school earlier, so I made my way through the hallways by myself. It wasn't that bad, though, since I usually walked through them alone in the mornings and to my classes.

When I got outside, I instantly noticed what Liam meant by 'weather conditions'. The snow was pouring down from the sky, leaving a slushy mess on the ground.

The corner of my lips turned downwards as I made my way to the bus stop, making sure to pull the hood of my jacket over my head. It was only a few minutes later I noticed that Alice's bus wasn't the only bus that was delayed. All of them were. We were several students standing in the pouring snow, stamping our feet repeatedly due to the cold.

It was then I really started regretting telling Louis all those things about his driving skills. I could kill to get away from this awful weather right now, and I would have been home now if it weren't for my stupid mouth. Fuck me.

After thirty minutes, the bus finally showed up around the corner, causing the people to sigh in relief, and I was one of them. The second I got onto the bus, I pulled the hood off my head while looking down at my wet jeans. I really hated the snow. It was both freezing and wet, two things I didn't like.

Fifteen minutes later, the bus came to my stop, and I got off before practically sprinting to my house. I was careful not to slip, though. I didn't want to get more drenched than I already was.

Once inside the old, blue house, I quickly got rid of my jacket, bag and shoes before sprinting into the bathroom that thankfully was located close to the entryway. With a lot of difficulties, I got out of my clothes before stepping into the warm shower, letting the hot water hit my cold skin. I didn't even care that I was going to have to shower twice that day. All I wanted was to feel my limbs again.

I turned off the shower a good ten minutes later, stepping out to the now foggy room. Running a hand through my wet curls, I bent down to pick up my wet clothes that I had thrown on the tile floor earlier to toss them in the washing machine.

With a towel around my waist, I went to my room across the bathroom to get changed into my soccer gear. It felt weird to put it on when I had just been in the shower, but I didn't really have a choice. Practice started in only half an hour, and I had yet to eat something.

My room was pretty small, but I actually quite liked it. There was a bed in the right corner of it with a nightstand beside it. Then I had a body length mirror in the left corner of the room, and my closet was just beside the door. The walls were navy blue, and the floor was of hardwood. To be honest, there was nothing not to like about it besides the fact that I could use a TV. That was one of the things I wanted to buy after I had gotten my driver's license and bought myself a car.

When I was standing at the counter in the kitchen ten minutes later, making a ham sandwich, I could hear the front door swing open.

"Harry?" A voice called out, and I instantly recognized it as Gemma's.

"In the kitchen!" I called back, bringing the sandwich to my mouth to take a bite of it before I had even sat down at the kitchen table.

My sister made an entrance only five seconds later, looking at me with raised eyebrows. "Are you in a hurry?"

I pulled my eyebrows pulled into a frown. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, you're eating a sandwich while standing, and your shirt is inside out," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

I looked down at my chest, noticing that she was right. With a pout, I shrugged my shoulders. "It wasn't my fault the school bus was delayed, but just because of that, I'm now starting to run late for practice."

A brilliant idea popped up in my brain then. "Could you pretty, pretty please drive me there? I won't make it in time otherwise," I pleaded because I was sure that if I rode the bus to practice, I was not going to get there on time.

She tilted her head to the side as if contemplating it. However, the smile on her face told me otherwise. "I don't know. What would I get in return?"

My mouth fell open at her words. "Are you for real? Gemma, I never ask you to drive me. Can't you just be a nice sister just this once?"

Her smile widened for a second until it broke into laughter. "I'm just kidding, brother. I'll drive you, but hey, don't expect it to become a routine. I'm nice, but not that nice," she smirked, making me roll my eyes.

"Honestly, I didn't expect anything else," I chuckled.

She let out a gasp. "Hey, I'm offended."

"Well, you were the one just implying that you aren't nice all the time, so blame yourself," I shrugged with a cheeky smile on my face.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Touché, little brother, touché."

I couldn't help but give her a wide smile at that. I loved my sister to bits. There was nothing about her that was not to like. Well, except for when she acted like a hormonal bitch. It could be for stupid things like if I had taken one of her hair ties to put my curls in a bun, or if I had borrowed her brush or something like that. I didn't see any problem with it, but she certainly did.

Other than that, we were always there for each other when we needed help. Today was one of those cases, and although she liked to act as if she actually didn't want to help me, we both knew that she always did anyway.

Once I had finished my sandwich, I made sure to fix my shirt so it wasn't inside out anymore before making my way back into my room to get my bag with my cleats, water bottle, shin pads, a towel, some shampoo and a change of clothes. I found Gemma sitting on the grey couch in the living room when I was finished. "I'm ready."

Her gaze turned from the television to me, a frown making its way to her face. She took off her hair tie from her wrist and reached her hand out. "You have to put your hair up. Otherwise, you'll get it in your face," she said, a natural expression on her face.

My eyebrows shot up. Did she really just offer me to take her hair tie? Well, I was not going to decline that. "Thanks, sis," I smiled, walking over to take it from her extended hand.

"You're welcome."

I gathered my hair on top of my head and put it in a bun while Gemma got up to put her shoes and jacket on. Once we were both ready, we got out in the stormy weather. I pulled the hood of my jacket over my head again, shielding my face from the snow while practically running to Gemma's car.

The second we had shut the doors behind us, we both breathed out sighs of relief. "This damn weather is not to play with, fucking hell," Gemma muttered.

I shook my head. "It sure isn't."

During the car ride - which took twice as long as it would have if it weren't for the weather - we talked about school, work and friends. She asked me if it was nice to see the guys again, and I asked her how work had been.

She didn't know I had feelings for Louis. I hadn't told anyone because I didn't trust them well enough. I mean, Gemma was that kind of person who could easily throw a secret like that out if she saw me staring at Louis while the guys were over or something like that, and I could not take that risk. However, she and mom did know that I was bisexual, though. They were the only ones who knew except for the few guys I had been with during my life.

"And we're here," Gemma announced when she had pulled over outside the gym. Fortunately, our practices were indoors during the winter. Otherwise, I would not have attended them. At least not on a day like this, that was for sure.

"Thank you, Gems. Will you come pick me up too?" I pleaded, giving her the best puppy eyes I could muster.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, but only today, brother. Remember, this won't become a routine. You'll have to find some other way to get here when the weather is shitty until you've got your own driver's license."

I flashed her a smile. "I will, thank you."

"Bye, H."

"See you later, Gems," I called out while getting out of the car.

I slammed the door shut behind me before sprinting towards the gym entrance. The first thing I was met with when I opened the doors was a long hallway that led to different locker rooms and the gym. I made my way through it, focusing on listening to what room the guys were in. I had to make it all the way to the last locker room until I found the right one.

"Harry, there you are, man!"

Every guy on the team was already there, dressed in their gears with their cleats and shin pads on. They all looked ready to go out and start practice. I pursed my lips. "The weather is being a bitch," I muttered, taking my place beside Niall on the bench.

He instantly noticed that my hair was damp. "Why is your hair all drenched? You didn't walk here or something, did you?" He asked, worry lacing his voice.

I shook my head, grimacing. "No, I had a shower."

Laughter could be heard in the locker room then, and I turned around to see Ryan, Tristan and Derek looking at me with mocking faces. I shot them a glare before my eyes fell on the person whose opinion always mattered most to me. Louis.

He was looking at me from across the room with a cheeky smile. "You shouldn't have talked shit about my driving skills, Styles," he smirked, and my heart instantly fluttered in my chest, just like it always did when he paid attention to me.

I just shook my head with a smile on my face. He was the only person that could make my mood change so drastically from being down to happy. "Who says it was due to the weather I had the shower, eh?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it was either that or because you needed to get rid of a boner. If it wasn't any of those options, I would find you a weird guy, Curly. No one showers before practice."

I let out a huff while Ryan, Tristan and Derek burst out laughing once again. "I bet he did because he just felt like it," Ryan laughed, hitting himself on his knee repeatedly.

"Oh, shut up," I snapped at him. Now, I could tolerate Louis making fun of me because our banter was mutual, but Ryan, Tristan and Derek just liked to make fun of people in general, and I did not accept that.

"Alright, Louis. You're right. Maybe I wouldn't have needed to wait in the pouring snow for thirty minutes until the bus came so I had to take a hot shower when I came home if I didn't talk shit about your driving, but hey, I don't regret it because that shower was pretty damn nice, and I don't like to lie to people," I smirked, making his mouth fall open.

Neither of us had time to say anything else until Coach joined us in the locker room. "Alright guys, Christmas break is over, and it's time to get serious again. Let's go out today and do a hell of a practice!"

______________________________


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3**

Practice went surprisingly well, and by surprisingly, I meant because things had been pretty shitty after school when I had to wait for the bus outside in the storm, and then I had almost run late to practice. I didn't expect my day to make a turn for the better again, but it did.

We were all currently sitting in the locker room. We had just finished practice and were taking off our cleats, socks, and shin pads when Coach entered the room. He was a bald man with dark brown eyes in his early forties. When he made an entrance, everyone shut up and turned their attention to him.

"Alright, I know rumors about me selecting a new captain today have been going around. It's true, and I'm here now to tell you who I have picked," he announced, making a low chattering erupt in the room.

"Coach, can I ask why you didn't tell us you were selecting a new captain today before practice?" A guy named Trevor asked.

"I didn't want you to know because then I knew you were going to think about it during practice, and I want you all to be at your best all the time, not only when you are trying to impress me. That's why. Oh, and for those of you who already had your suspicions, I hoped that it would leave your minds if I didn't mention anything before practice. Seeing how you all played like I'm used to seeing you play, I'm positive I succeeded."

I wondered if that was because most of us who knew beforehand were people who didn't really care if we became captains or not. The only thing that mattered was that it was someone who was a great leader and player.

"So, who have you picked?" Derek wondered.

Coach glanced at him before flicking his gaze between everyone of us. "I have chosen someone who always tries his best, who is a great teammate that always wants what's best for the team, and who I think would make a great captain..." He trailed off, his gaze stopping at one specific person.

"I've chosen you, Louis. I think you are aware of what good leadership is, and I'm sure you'll make a great captain."

Cheers erupted in the locker room, people walking over to pat him on the shoulder and congratulate him. Louis' entire face was lit up in a beautiful smile, the crinkles by his eyes showing. I could only gape at him because damn, was it even possible to look that pretty? I mean, the fact that he was sweaty as well only added to his beauty. I was in awe.

"Harry!"

I snapped back to reality, looking at the person who had called my name. It was Coach. "Uh, yeah?" I asked with a scowl on my face.

"You're going to be the new alternate captain. Whenever Louis is off the field, if he gets injured or if he just needs backup, you're going to be there, alright?"

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "For real?" I almost gasped. I was not expecting that at all.

"Yeah, you've been showing me that you have power in you lately, and I'm curious to see where it's going to take you. Besides, you are a good teammate. I'm sure Louis is going to be happy to have you as his backup," he explained, giving me a polite smile, and honestly, that was probably the best compliment I had ever received from someone regarding my soccer skills, or just in general.

"Thank you, Coach."

I could feel a hand slap my shoulder, and when I turned to my side, I could see Niall giving me a toothy grin. "Congrats, mate. You really deserve it, man."

He was one of the few people who were acknowledging me after what Coach just announced, most of them still circling Louis. I didn't mind, though, because I didn't need their attention. Just knowing that I was going to be the alternate captain of the team during the last semester of high school made my heart swell with pride for myself. I never thought I was going to come anywhere near a title like that.

"Thanks, man."

The only one who wasn't cheering or talking in the room was Ryan. He was sitting on the bench, typing on his phone with a grumpy look on his face. Well, seeing as he had just been kicked from his title of being captain, I understood why. However, I didn't feel any sympathy for him considering I knew that he hadn't made the title justice. One evidence took place just earlier when he mocked me for taking a shower before practice. I mean, he wasn't even part of the conversation, he just had to intervene anyway.

I snapped myself back to reality, where the rest of the boys were now sitting on the benches again to get out of their sweaty gears. My eyes found Louis' across the room, and the second they met, a cheeky grin formed on his lips.

I rolled my eyes with an evident smile on my face. What were the odds that Louis became captain and I his backup? Just the fact made me so happy. It felt like we had just gotten closer to each other somehow.

Coach was now gone, making the chatter in the room erupt once again. I didn't bother joining any conversation, though. I just got out of my stinky clothes and went into the shower for the second time that day, bringing my towel.

Once I was dressed in a pair of black joggers and a black hoodie, I pulled out my phone from my bag to make sure Gemma was ready to pick me up. By now, a lot of the guys had started leaving the locker room.

Something came up, so I can't come pick you up, brother. I'm sorry. I hope you'll figure it out x

Oh, for the love of God. Was she kidding me? How on earth would I find someone to drive me home on this short notice? I mean, the busses were most certainly running late or not going at all, so what was I supposed to do?

Letting out a sigh, I ran a hand through my wet curls. "What's the matter, Harry?" I could hear someone say from my right.

I looked up to find Niall's eyes on me, watching me curiously. "Gemma can't pick me up, so I'll probably have to walk home in this weather," I muttered.

His eyes widened. "Oh, but why don't you ask Louis if he can drive you? I mean, Liam, Zayn and I are going with him anyway," he suggested.

Letting out a snort, I looked over to the feathery-haired boy across the locker room who was just in the action of putting on a pair of grey joggers. He wasn't wearing a shirt, fuck.

Swallowing hard, I averted my gaze back to Niall. "I'm sure he wouldn't agree to that after the way I've been insulting his driving skills all day," I grimaced, but I also realized that it may be my only resort. How else would I get home?

Niall rolled his eyes. "Nonsense. You are his friend. You just have to ask him, and I'm sure he won't say no."

Letting out a flat laugh, I shook my head. I needed a strategy to make Louis agree to this because if I just walked over and asked him, I was sure he was just going to make fun of me. The question was; Could I even get away with this without him making fun of me? I wasn't so sure about that.

When only about ten guys remained in the locker room, I walked over to Louis who was now sitting on the bench fully clothed, talking to Zayn. The second he noticed my presence, he turned his face to me.

"Hi there, Curly."

I rolled my eyes at the nickname. "Hey," I greeted. "Congrats on becoming the new captain," I told him, flashing him a genuine smile.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, probably not expecting me to say something nice to him. He instantly caught on, though. "Well, congrats to you too, I guess. It's going to be a lot of fun being the leader of the team," he smirked, making me chuckle.

"Well, as long as you don't get injured or play so badly that Coach doesn't want you on the field, then sure. Otherwise, I'm going to be the leader of the team," I winked, making him roll his eyes.

"It's not going to happen," he promised me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Never say never. Oh, and besides, you might actually want my help too sometimes."

He shook his head with a smile on his face. When he didn't say anything, I opened my mouth to continue talking. "So, I heard you're driving the boys home," I said, looking at Zayn who was watching my and Louis' conversation.

The feathery-haired boy tilted his head to the side. "Oh, I see now. I knew you didn't just come over here to congratulate me. You want me to drive you home, don't you?" Louis predicted, looking at me knowingly.

I bit my bottom lip, reaching up to scratch the back of my head. "Maybe? But only because my sister told me she can't pick me up, and I don't want to walk home in this weather."

He watched me with a smug look on his face. "I thought you said you would manage just fine without me driving you since I'm such a reckless driver, eh?" He teased, making me let out a groan.

"I know what I said, Louis."

He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes as if thinking about it. "What makes you think I would drive you when you insulted my driving skills?"

I tossed my head back in frustration. "Oh my God, Louis. Can't you just be nice and drive me home without being an ass about it?" I huffed, making him chuckle.

"Only if you never insult my driving again," he smirked.

"If you prove me wrong, then fine," I reasoned, and he agreed.

"Fine."

There was no question that I had strong feelings for Louis, but man, he could really frustrate me sometimes. I secretly wondered if that was one of the reasons I actually did feel so strongly for him. I loved how we always teased each other, even if he got on my nerves sometimes. I bet I got on his sometimes as well, though.

I walked back to Niall to retrieve my bag, and I didn't miss the smile he sent me. "What?" I wondered.

"I told you he would agree to drive you."

I rolled my eyes, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "Come on, let's go."

He got up from the bench, and together, we walked over to Louis and Zayn, who had now been accompanied by Liam as well. "Ready to go, lads?" Niall questioned.

Louis and Zayn got up from the bench, Louis nodding his head. "Yeah, better get going before the weather gets even worse," he grimaced.

Niall and I walked ahead of Liam, Louis, and Zayn out of the gym. We didn't really talk, though, because as soon as we were outside, we all started jogging towards the parking lot. The snow was still pouring down, but instead of transforming to slush once it hit the ground, it had now started creating a white layer on it. It was better this way because then it was easier not to get wet, and I bet it was easier to drive as well.

We all hopped into Louis' black sports car before slamming the doors shut behind us. For some reason, I managed to end up in the middle of the backseat, which was not a benefit since I was sure I was going to be the first one to be dropped off.

The first thing Louis did when he had gotten behind the wheel was to turn on the radio. Instantly, loud music started blasting through the speakers, almost burning holes in my ears. "For the love of God, Louis!" I shouted, covering my ears with my hands.

He turned down the volume a little, looking back at me. "Sorry, princess. Forgot I had a child in the backseat," he chuckled, rolling his eyes.

I shot him a glare. "Oh, shut it. Such high volume is not even healthy, Jesus," I muttered, shaking my head.

Inside, my heart was beating like crazy because did he really just call me princess? I mean sure, it may not have been in the way I wanted it to be, but a man could dream, couldn't he?

Louis let out another laugh before pulling out of the parking lot and driving off. I conversed with Liam and Niall in the backseat during the fifteen minutes it took for Louis to drive to my place, talking about soccer and being back at school.

Surprisingly, Louis drove pretty safely, keeping the speed limit and the car on the right side of the road. I wondered if that was because he knew I was in the car and wanted to prove to me that I had been wrong about his driving skills, or if it was because of the bad road conditions. Because I knew for sure that he didn't drive this well otherwise. I had been in the backseat when he drove before he got his driver's license, and the differences were significant.

When he pulled over outside my blue house, he turned around in his seat to look at me again. "So, are you going to stop insulting my driving now?" He asked with a smug smile on his face.

I couldn't help but smile back at him, but mine was more genuine. "If I knew you weren't trying so hard to drive well, then maybe. I'll think about it, though," I promised, flashing him a smirk.

His mouth fell open at my words, but I didn't keep my eyes on him for more than five seconds until I told Niall to get out of the way so I could get out of the car. He let out a whine when he realized he had to get out as well and get wet in the process. Well, it wasn't my idea to make me sit in the middle seat in the first place.

"Thanks for the ride," I called out to Louis before taking off towards my front door, not looking back to see if he heard it.

Before I had time to open the door, though, I could hear how he sped off towards Niall's house, the tires of his car screeching against the ground. He definitely only drove so safely because I was in the car. I was sure of it.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

The next day during lunch break, Liam, Louis, Zayn, Niall, and I were sitting together at a table in the cafeteria, talking about the upcoming party on Friday. Zayn, Louis, and Niall were super excited about it. Liam and I were too, but not on the same level as the three of them were. They couldn't stop chatting about how fun it was going to be to get drunk and hook up with girls again.

I didn't really feel the same need to do that, but I could admit that it was going to be nice to party and get some alcohol in my system. As mentioned by Zayn, it had been a long time since we last were at a party.

"So, who can host the preparty?" Zayn asked, looking at each of us hopefully.

I bit my lip, raising a hand in the air. "Mom is working late, and I'm quite sure I can get Gemma out of the house."

Mom worked as a nurse and therefore, she always had different shifts. On Friday, I knew that she was going to work late, so it was a perfect opportunity to throw a preparty at my place. As long as we didn't break or get something dirty, I was sure she wouldn't mind. Especially not if we cleaned up after ourselves.

"Really? That would be awesome!" Niall burst out, looking at me with wide, excited eyes.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Of course."

There was just one problem, though. Whoever arranged a preparty always fixed the alcohol, and I was sure Gemma wouldn't do me one more favor this week. As she mentioned before, she was nice, but not that nice. She had a limit. Why couldn't my birthday be this week instead of in two weeks?

"I've got a problem, though," I said, grimacing a little.

Zayn looked at me, tilting his head to the side. "What problem?"

"I'm not eighteen yet, and I've already asked Gemma for more favors than she is willing to accept this week, so I don't have anyone who can fix the alcohol."

Liam raised an eyebrow, looking over at Louis. "Louis' eighteen, so how about you two fix it together?" He suggested.

I swallowed hard, looking over at the feathery-haired boy who was sitting on one side of Niall. I was sitting on his other. He shrugged his shoulders, turning to meet my gaze. "Well, why not? Might as well buy some alcohol now that I'm allowed to. How about before practice tomorrow?"

I nodded my head slowly, feeling my heart race in my chest. "It works for me."

"Then it's settled," Zayn said excitedly, clapping his hands together.

Before any of us could say something else, Liam's girlfriend Alice walked over with three of her friends. Alice was a pretty girl with short, brown hair and shiny, brown eyes. I understood why Liam liked her so much. She was both beautiful and nice.

She leaned down to kiss him on the lips sweetly. "Is it okay if the girls and I sit here?" She asked, her gaze flickering between us.

"Of course," Louis smirked, patting the backrest of the empty seat beside him. "You're more than welcome."

One of the girls who had long, blonde hair and ocean blue eyes sat down beside him while the two other girls sat down on the empty seats next to her and beside Zayn on the other side of the table. The blonde girl instantly started talking to Louis, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

I rolled my eyes at the scene. I should have gotten used to seeing Louis flirt with different girls by now, but somehow, I always wanted to go find the nearest bathroom to throw up whenever it happened. The sad part about it was that I couldn't look away. My eyes were stuck on the pair, taking in their entire encounter.

It wasn't until a few minutes later I noticed that someone was staring at me. My eyes left the pair to look for the source, and it didn't take long until they stopped at one of the girls who were sitting beside Zayn. She had black hair that reached her shoulders and the bluest eyes I had ever seen. They were even bluer than Niall's, and wow, she was pretty, there was no denying it.

The second my eyes settled on her, a smile broke out on her face. I couldn't help but return it with a bright smile of my own. Was I the reason she was smiling? Unbelievable. As far as I knew, I had never talked to this girl before.

During the rest of the lunch break, I could feel her eyes on me every now and then, making me squirm in my seat. It always made me nervous whenever people checked me out, and this was not an exception.

When we exited the cafeteria and started heading to our lockers, she walked up to me. "You're Harry, right?" She wondered, looking at the side of my face.

I turned my head to meet her gaze. "Yeah."

"I'm Evelyn."

I nodded my head, flashing her a small smile. "Cool."

"So, are you attending Emily's party on Friday?" She questioned hopefully.

"Yeah, that's the plan. Are you?" I asked in return, not wanting to seem like an asshole. I mean, she was nice, so I didn't see a reason not to be nice to her in return.

"Yeah, the girls and I are going. I'm excited about it. I hope it's going to be a lot of fun," she said dreamily, making me chuckle slightly.

"It's been a while since you partied as well?" I couldn't help but ask.

She turned to me again, a smile on her lips. "You can tell?"

"Yep. The look on your face and your excitement give it all away," I smirked, making her shake her head in amusement.

"Damn, I have to work on that. Can't go around knowing I'm that easy to read."

A laugh escaped my lips. "Well, in this case, I don't think it made matters worse. I'm quite excited to party as well," I shrugged.

By now, we had arrived at my locker. The guys were walking in front of us, the blonde girl still by Louis' side. She was a little too close if you asked me. The fact that she occasionally leaned in to whisper something in his ear didn't make me feel any better. If anything, it only made me feel worse.

"Great," Evelyn said, beaming at me. "So, I'll see you at the party then?"

I nodded my head, tearing my eyes off Louis and the blonde girl. "Definitely."

We said goodbye to each other before I turned to my locker. It wasn't until I had grabbed the books for my next class I noticed that the blonde girl and Alice had followed Evelyn, so it was now only the five of us lads left.

"Damn, guys. You can't wait until the party to chat up with the girls?" Niall asked, shaking his head while looking between me and Louis.

I rolled my eyes but didn't say anything. Louis seemed amused by his comment, though. "You're just jealous, Niall. I'm sure you'll find some girl at the party as well," he winked, making the blonde-haired boy pout.

"I'm not jealous."

I let out a chuckle, walking over to wrap an arm around his shoulders, my books in my other one hand. "It's okay, mate. I'll help you find someone on Friday, I promise."

Niall turned to look at me, his lips still in a pout. "I'm out, guys. See you after class," he announced, reaching his hands up before taking my arm off his shoulders and walking away.

We all exchanged a look with each other, our eyebrows raised. "He must be so sexually frustrated," Liam laughed, shaking his head.

"Tell me about it," Zayn chuckled.

"Poor man," Louis said, looking in the direction that Niall walked off.

"Just because you got a girl's attention," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

His head snapped to me, his eyebrows raised. "You said something, Curly?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Just saying."

"Well, you had a girl by your side as well, didn't you?" He pointed out.

I shot him a look. "Yeah, but I didn't say anything. Besides, it's not like I was flirting with that girl as it looked like you were doing. We were just getting to know each other."

Louis let out a snort. "Why does that even matter?"

I bit my bottom lip, mentally facepalming myself. What on earth was I saying? I sounded like a jealous bitch, which I was, but he couldn't know that. "I'm just saying," I said again while shrugging, hoping I managed to make it look like I didn't care.

He narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously, but before he could open his mouth to say something, the bell rang. I mentally let out a sigh of relief as I turned around to start walking in the direction of my next class.

That was a close one.

\-----

I had work that afternoon, and I was honestly excited about it. It had been a few days since I was last there and I already missed it. I worked at a diner, not some fancy restaurant, but there was something about the place that I loved. I worked with people I got along with, and most of the customers were great as well. There was really nothing to complain about it.

I was currently entering the backdoor to the diner after taking the bus there. Thankfully, the weather was better today than yesterday. It was colder, so the snow had made a white layer on the ground. However, it was still pretty slippery, so it was a good thing that they had salted the streets.

The first thing I was met with when I entered the kitchen was Richard, my boss. He was a tall man in his late fifties with a nice greyish beard and short greyish hair. He was standing at the stove, stirring in some stew. "Good afternoon, boss," I greeted.

He looked up from the pot, his aging face lightening up in a smile. "Harry! Nice to see you, lad."

That was another thing I liked about this place. My boss treated me like a close friend and not like someone he was ready to snap at in any second, and honestly, I thought those were the best bosses. Sure, it was necessary to have respect for your boss as well, but it was also important to have a great relationship with them. Otherwise, things could get quite tense in some situations. Besides, it was easier to enjoy the workplace if you got along with your boss.

"You too, Ricky. I'll be out in the diner to serve the customers," I winked, to which he shook his head in amusement. He knew I was popular with the customers.

"Do what you're best at, young man," he chuckled before I disappeared into the diner.

My co-worker, Lucas, was standing at the cash register, charging the customers when I got there. He was a guy my age with short, blonde hair and blue eyes. He was pretty skinny as well, but he was rather attractive. I wouldn't mind hooking up with him if I ever got so drunk that my thoughts on another specific guy slipped my mind.

Lucas turned around when I entered the room. "Hi, Harry," he smiled. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great. School has started again, and I'm looking forward to graduating soon," I shrugged. "What about you? How are you doing?"

He glanced down at the watch around his wrist. "I've been here since nine in the morning. I'm honestly just looking forward to getting home and lying down on the couch in front of the TV," he chuckled.

"I know the feeling," I smiled. "So, when are you getting off?"

"In an hour, so at seven. I hope I'll manage."

"I hope so too," I laughed, walking over to grab one of the aprons we were obliged to wear at work.

The next following hour, I served the customers who entered the diner, doing my best to make them all feel welcomed and pleased. Judging by the thankful smiles and little tips I received every now and then, I was positive I was doing a good job. Well, at least I'd like to think so.

At around seven-thirty - a while after Lucas had gotten off his shift - two familiar girls entered the diner. It was Louis' younger sisters, Lottie and Fizzy. My eyes widened at the sight, and I didn't hesitate to walk over and join Jade who had taken over Lucas' place to work the cash register.

The two girls walked over to the counter, their faces brightening when they caught sight of me. "Hey, Harry," they greeted in unison.

Lottie was fifteen and Fizzy was thirteen. Yes, I was aware of this fact because I knew a lot about Louis Tomlinson, alright? "Hi there, girls. How come you're here all alone?" I wondered, secretly wanting to know who had driven them here because I was sure they hadn't gotten here by themselves.

"Dad's in the car. We're just picking up our dinner," Lottie explained.

I nodded in understanding. "I see. I thought Louis would have wanted to drive whenever there's an opportunity now that he's gotten his driver's license, though?"

Fizzy shook her head. "Mom doesn't trust him with driving us around, says that he's not a good enough driver just yet."

I couldn't help but let a smirk form on my lips. "Is that so?"

Lottie nodded her head. "Well, it's that, and he doesn't want to do any favors either. He would probably never do anything our parents ask him to," she said with a grimace.

I had never really witnessed how Louis was around his parents. Whenever we were at his place, the girls were usually the only ones around. However, I could imagine that he was a typical teenager who would always go against his parents' will because that was what his personality showed off. Well, at least the way he acted towards me.

"Sounds like Louis," I chuckled.

Lottie's lips formed a smile. "So, Harry, when are you coming over next time? Feels like ages since you last were at our place," she pouted, making Fizzy let out a groan.

"Stop flirting, Lottie. Harry's too old for you anyway."

I did a double-take at her words. Wait a second. Had Lottie taken an interest in me? I had never picked up on that.

I turned to the blonde girl with an amused smile on my face. Her cheeks had now turned a light pink. "I don't know. Louis usually doesn't offer to hang out at his place, so you'll have to ask him when next time will be," I smiled, making Lottie's cheeks go even redder.

"Uh, yeah, sure. I'll make sure to do that," she mumbled.

Right then, another of my co-workers walked over to place a white plastic bag on the counter beside me. "Chicken stew with rice?" He asked Lottie and Fizzy who nodded their heads.

"That's us."

Lottie paid for their food while Fizzy took the bag in her hands. Once they were finished, they both turned to me. "Bye, Harry. It was nice to see you."

I reached up to wave at them. "It was nice seeing you too. Make sure to say hi to the rest of the family from me," I smiled, to which they nodded before exiting the diner.

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	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

After meeting Louis' sisters, I thought a lot about our encounter. I thought about the fact that Fizzy had exposed Lottie's attraction to me, but I also thought about the way they had described Louis. As mentioned earlier, his behavior didn't come as a surprise to me. I mean, I was sure he would never do me a favor if I asked him either because he was always a pain in the ass to me. The fact that he was willing to fix alcohol for me had caught me by surprise. However, Liam was the one who had asked him, not me. Maybe that was the reason.

To be honest, I had never put much thought into why my and Louis' relationship was different from the ones we had with the other lads. Sure, we all liked to tease each other every now and then, but not on the same level as me and Louis. We practically couldn't go a day without doing so.

Thinking about my and Louis' relationship made butterflies erupt in my stomach. I loved the way we always teased each other because whenever he did to me, I always felt so special as if I was the center of his attention. Having his eyes on me made me feel like I was on cloud nine. However, I bet he didn't even know what effect he had on me.

Alright, back to the fact that Lottie had taken an interest in me. During the times the guys and I had been at Louis' place, she had always been there, chatting a little with us, but I never noticed anything. Maybe I was just overthinking this. Maybe she just had a little crush on me, which she had developed recently. Either way, it was kind of cute.

It was now Wednesday, and I was sitting in the last class of the day, waiting for the bell to ring so Louis and I could finally go buy the alcohol. Or, more like so he could do it since I would have to stay in the car because if I went with him and they asked for my ID as well, we would both be in trouble.

My thoughts were interrupted by the bell, snapping me back to reality. The students around me started getting up from their seats while I still had a hard time trying to register what was going on. Eventually, I got up as well, gathered my stuff, and left the classroom to head to my locker. The first thing I noticed was that Louis and Liam were already there, chatting with each other at Liam's locker.

"Hey, guys," I greeted, flashing them a smile while I went over to my locker to get rid of my school books and grab my jacket and bag instead.

They both turned to me. "Hi!" Liam said.

"Ready to go buy some alcohol?" Louis smirked, making me chuckle.

"Of course."

"See you at practice, Liam," I told the brown-haired boy who had now turned to his locker.

He turned his head back to look at me. "Sure. See you then," he smiled.

With that, Louis and I started walking through the hallways towards the exit. We didn't say anything during our walk to the lot where his black sports car was parked, but it was okay because it didn't feel necessary.

The weather was pretty much the same as yesterday but a little colder, and it wasn't snowing. Although I didn't like the cold, I was happy that I didn't have to get wet the first thing I did when I stepped outside.

Louis unlocked his car before we both got in. I placed my bag at my feet while he put the key in the ignition, turning both the car and heat on. "Damn, it's so fucking cold," I muttered, looking down at my lap.

"Tell me about it, Curly."

To my surprise, he didn't decide to turn on the radio on full blast, which he didn't hesitate to do the last time he drove me in his car. I was secretly thankful that he had decided to listen to me this time. Or, he just wanted to be able to talk during the ride.

"So, I met your sisters yesterday," I told him, looking at the side of his face.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? Where?"

"At work. They came to fetch the food you guys had ordered," I explained, my eyebrows pulling together.

Was he so unaware that he didn't even know they had ordered food from the diner I worked at? Jesus.

His mouth formed the shape of an 'o'. "Right! They didn't talk shit about me, did they?" He chuckled while shaking his head.

I tilted my head to the side, pursing my lips. "Well, if telling me that you never do anything that your parents ask you to and that your mom doesn't trust you in driving your sisters around count as nothing, then no, they didn't talk shit about you," I said, giving him a smug smile.

His mouth fell open. "They didn't."

I nodded my head. "Oh, yes, they did," I grinned, making him run a hand over his face.

"I swear, I'm going to murder them when I get home," he muttered.

I let out a gasp. "Hey, they haven't done anything but tell the truth, Louis. You can't blame them for that."

He turned to me, his eyes narrowed. However, he didn't say anything. He just averted his gaze back to the road, and I took that as my cue to continue talking. "I knew you were just pretending to drive well when you drove me home after practice Monday," I said in amusement, turning to look at the road as well.

He let out a snort. "If you're going to bring up my driving skills again, I won't hesitate to throw you out the window."

"Are you offended?" I couldn't help but ask, my eyebrows raised.

His eyes turned to look at the side of my face. "No. I'm just tired of hearing it. I proved to you that I can drive safely, and I am doing so right now too, aren't I?"

To be honest, I hadn't even thought of the fact that the car was moving, so I guess that was proof enough that he could be a good driver if he wanted to.

Biting my lip, I shrugged my shoulders. "I suppose."

My comment made a smug smile form on his pink lips. When I noticed this, I turned to him quickly. "Why that face?"

The smile widened on his lips. "I like winning arguments."

I let out a huff, crossing my arms over my chest. "Shut up," I muttered.

"What was that? Couldn't hear you," he chuckled, cupping his hand around his ear to make me repeat myself.

I shook my head, not saying anything. I wouldn't give him that pleasure.

A few minutes later, Louis parked his car outside Tesco, turning off the engine. "So, what do you want me to buy?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

I pursed my lips, thinking about it. "Uh, a few beers, one vodka and maybe one Jägermeister?"

He nodded his head. "Sure. See you later, Mr. I'm-too-young-to-buy-my-own-alcohol-so-I'll-let-my-friend-do-it," he winked before slamming the door shut behind him.

I could only gape at his figure as he strode over to the entrance. Did he really just say that? If there was anyone murdering someone today, it was going to be me murdering him... or, maybe not. I liked him too much for that.

While I was waiting for Louis to come back, I decided to occupy myself by going through my social media on my phone. I scrolled through my entire Instagram and Twitter feed before he finally turned the door handle on his side of the car.

"Here you go, mate," Louis said, placing the plastic bag on my lap. It was so heavy that it almost hurt.

"Damn, how much did you buy?" I gasped, opening the bag to check the inside of it. He'd bought at least 24 beers.

"We're five teenage lads, Harold. We're gonna need all that," he said firmly, putting his hands on the wheel.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I'm not paying for all of this. I told you to buy a few beers, not these many!" I grumbled, making him chuckle.

"Relax, man. I can pay for it," he smiled.

I raised my eyebrows. "What? I mean, it's not like I can't afford it. It's just that... you know I'm saving up for a car, and I really want to be able to buy one once I get my driver's license," I explained, biting my bottom lip.

He rolled his eyes. "I know, Curly. So, let me pay for it this time. I don't mind, honestly."

Why did my stomach erupt with butterflies at the thought of Louis buying something for me? It shouldn't, considering he didn't exactly buy me it, but it did anyway.

"Thank you," I told him honestly, making the corners of his lips twitch.

"No problem, mate."

He dropped me off at my place a few minutes later, saying goodbye and that we'll see each other in a bit. He didn't offer to pick me up for practice, and I didn't expect him to either. Honestly, he had done way more things for me today than he had ever done for me in total, and I was more than happy about that. Besides, the busses were going as usual today, so it wouldn't be a problem.

I slung my school bag over my shoulder, holding the plastic bag with the alcohol in my right hand as I walked over to the porch. Behind me, I could hear Louis speeding off down the street, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the fact. He was definitely a wild driver, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

"Gemma?" I called out once I had shut the front door behind me.

Since the door was unlocked, I figured she was home. Moreover, her car was in the driveway. "In the living room, brother!" She replied.

I toed my shoes off, shrugged off my jacket, and placed the two bags on the floor before joining my sister in the living room. She was sitting on the couch, her legs propped on the coffee table with the TV-remote in her hand.

"Where have you been? Thought you got off at three today?" She wondered, checking the time on her phone. I knew it was around four-thirty.

"Louis and I were just buying some beverage for Friday," I shrugged, sitting down on one end of the couch.

She raised her eyebrows at me. "Right, he's already turned eighteen. Good thing for me. Now I don't have to do those favors for you anymore."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Well, my birthday is only in a week and a half, so it's not like you would've had to do it many more times anyway," I chuckled, making her glare at me.

"Whatever," she muttered. "So, what's happening on Friday? Are you guys attending a party?" She wondered.

I nodded my head. "Yeah. This girl in my Economics class is throwing a party at her place, and she invited me and the guys."

She pursed her lips. "I see. So, it's a big one?"

Shrugging my shoulders, I bit my bottom lip. "Don't know, to be honest. I know a lot of people who are going, though, so I think so. The guys are excited, at least."

Gemma raised her eyebrows at me. "But you aren't?"

I ran a hand through my curls. "Well, of course I am. Maybe not as excited as they are, but yeah, it's going to be fun to party again."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Harry, are you hiding something?"

I mentally panicked at her words, but I tried my best not to show it. The only reason I wasn't as excited as the other guys were about it was that I didn't have the same desire to hook up with someone as they did. The only one I wanted to hook up with was one of them. Besides, I wasn't too excited to see Louis flirt with some random girl either. I was going to do my best not to think about it, though. I mean, it wouldn't be the first party we attended since I realized my feelings for him.

"No, I'm not," was the only thing I said.

I was positive she noticed that she shouldn't push it any further by the tone I was using. Instead, she placed her feet on the floor, putting her hands on her thighs. "Alright, I'm going to get something in my system. You're welcome to join me in the kitchen, H."

With that said, she got up from the couch and walked by me to get to the kitchen. I let out a sigh, getting up myself because I knew I would have to eat something before practice. Besides, my stomach was starting to churn, so it was probably for the best.

Gemma was standing at the counter when I got there, putting two slices of bread in the toaster. "Can you put two in for me too?" I asked, walking over to the fridge to grab the butter, a package of ham and the milk.

Through the corner of my eye, I could see her doing as I asked her to. Meanwhile, I put the items on the kitchen table before sitting down on one of the chairs. "Look, I'm sorry for being so curt earlier, Gems. I didn't mean to," I apologized, biting my bottom lip.

She turned around, her lips twitching. "Don't worry, brother. I didn't take offense. I understand that you don't want to talk to me about everything. You'll tell me when you want to... if you want to," she said with a light chuckle.

I shook my head with a smile on my face. "Thank you, Gems."

The toasts popped then. Gemma grabbed all four of them before sitting down in the seat opposite me, passing two of the slices over to me. "So, I assume you want me to be away on Friday?" She predicted, raising an eyebrow at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, I can't force you to, but yeah, I do. Unless you won't be a bother, that is," I smiled.

She rolled her eyes. "Now that I think about it, I'm quite sure I don't even want to be home anyway. Watching five teenage boys get drunk together? No thanks."

I couldn't help but laugh at her. "We're not that bad, Gemma."

She shrugged her shoulders, clearly amused. "I'll find a way to be somewhere else anyway. It's better that way, isn't it?"

Nodding my head, I smiled. "Yeah, probably. For both of us."

"For both of us," she agreed.

________________________________


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6**

Thursday flew by, so it didn't take long until Louis, Niall, Liam, Zayn and I were standing at our lockers on Friday afternoon. The last bell of the day had just rung, and we were all ready to go home and start the weekend.

"So, what time can we come over, Harry?" Niall asked, leaning against the locker beside me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Whenever you want to, I guess. Mom's working all evening and Gemma's going to be out, so just come when you're ready."

Niall's face lit up in a smile. "Well, then I'm just going home to get changed first, then I'll be there," he chirped, clapping his hands together in excitement.

"With that excitement, I'm afraid you're not going to make it to the party tonight, Niall," Zayn chuckled, shaking his head.

"Hey, what's wrong with being excited? I can take it easy on the alcohol if that's what you're worried about," the blonde guy huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Zayn rolled his eyes. "We'll see about that later."

Niall sent him a glare.

"I'll be there at around seven if that's okay? Mom wants me to do some chores before I'm allowed to go out," Liam grimaced, scratching the back of his neck.

Louis scrunched his nose up. "I feel sorry for you, man. I'd be pissed if my mom forced me to do any chores, especially on a Friday evening."

I rolled my eyes at his words. "You'd never do any chores even if your mom forced you to, Louis."

The feathery-haired boy raised his eyebrows at me. "How can you be so sure of that?" He wanted to know.

"Inside information," I said, flashing him a knowing look. "Besides, your personality gives it away. You're a lazy arse."

"I'll have to agree with Harry on that," Liam butted in, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "You'd never do any favors for your parents."

Louis looked between the two of us, his mouth agape. "What is this? Some kind of teaming up against Louis thing?" He huffed.

"It doesn't matter. This is just proof that we know you so well that we can tell stuff about you without really knowing it," Liam shrugged.

Actually, I did have proof that it was true. Louis' sisters had just told me the other day what a lazy arse he was, but I didn't feel the need to mention that for some reason.

"Whatever," he muttered.

My eyes remained on him while the other guys continued talking. I couldn't help but examine his beautiful appearance. He was wearing his big, black jacket and a pair of black, tight, skinny jeans. His fringe was swept to the side, as usual, and I could almost see the crinkles by his eyes forming in front of me even if he wasn't smiling. I just knew they would be there if he did. Then it was his sharp jawline that I wanted to run my fingers along, and those pink, thin lips that I wanted to touch with my own. Don't even get me started on those beautiful, ocean blue eyes that were framed by his brown lashes. He was living proof that beauty existed.

"Harry?"

I snapped back to reality, turning to Zayn who was talking to me. All of them were looking at me, though, even Louis. "Yeah?" I wondered, scratching the back of my neck awkwardly.

"You zoned out. I was saying that I'll be at your place whenever Louis' ready because he's my ride."

"Oh, yeah, sure. When are you planning on coming then, Louis?" I asked, clearing my throat.

The blue-eyed boy shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe at five? We'll see."

Before we had time to say anything else, a girl walked up to us. Liam had dropped his arm from my shoulders, but it was now replaced by the girl's. "Hey guys, you're coming tonight, right?"

I turned my head to look at the side of Emily's face. "Hey, Emily. We were actually just talking about it, and--" I started, but was rudely cut off.

"Of course we'll be there," Louis told her, making my eyebrows pull together.

Emily's face lit up in a smile, probably because Louis had talked to her. "Awesome!"

She dropped her arm from my shoulders to walk away, but she made sure to stop at Louis on her way to whisper something in his ear. I could feel my blood boil at the sight. Couldn't she just lay off? I got that she found him attractive, but did she have to throw it in my fucking face all the time?

A smirk made its way to Louis' lips as she talked to him, and it didn't drop once she had walked away. His eyes then found mine. "Why didn't you tell me she specifically wanted me to come to the party?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

Because I didn't want you to know.

"I don't know. It didn't feel like a big deal, I suppose," I said, shrugging my shoulders in disinterest.

He scoffed. "Well, it is. Now I know I'm definitely going to get laid tonight," he said, licking his lips.

I swallowed hard, looking away from him. Thankfully, neither of the guys seemed to notice my actions. They were too caught up with studying Louis to do so.

"Fuck, man. Now I'm definitely jealous," Niall grumbled, pouting his lips.

Zayn, Liam and Louis smiled at him in amusement while I couldn't be bothered. Instead, I fished my phone from the back pocket of my skinny jeans. "I've gotta go, guys. My bus is here any second," I lied. It wasn't supposed to be here until another ten minutes.

With that, I left them without waiting for a response, making my way through the hallways towards the exits. I didn't get there until Niall caught up with me, though. "Hey, man. Why did you just walk off like that? We always walk to the bus together when we finish school at the same time," he whined.

I turned to look at him, biting my bottom lip. "I'm sorry, Niall," I apologized. "I was just nervous about missing the bus."

He pulled his eyebrows together, probably knowing that it wasn't the truth, but he didn't say anything. I was more than happy about that. "So, what did you and Louis buy for tonight?" He asked instead.

My lips twitched at the mention of Louis' name, even though I still couldn't get the image of him having sex with Emily out of my head. "A lot of beer, one vodka, and one Jäger."

Niall nodded his head, obviously impressed. "Sounds good, man. You know it won't be long until I'm knocking on your front door, right?" He chuckled, making me roll my eyes.

"I know, Niall. That's why I'm in such a hurry," I joked. "I need to clean the place before you get there."

An amused smile made its way to his face. "Knowing us lads, it won't be necessary," he laughed, and I knew he was right.

\-----

Niall didn't joke around when he said he was only going home to get changed before coming over to my place. He knocked on the door only half an hour after I had gotten home. Honestly, I barely had time to get changed myself. However, I did end up in a black button-up with three buttons undone from the collar and a pair of black, skinny jeans.

Thankfully, Gemma had already left the house when Niall got there, so it actually didn't matter that he came over on such short notice. The only thing it did was stress me out a little bit.

While we waited for Zayn and Louis to show up, we occupied ourselves by playing some Fifa. It was our all-time favorite video game, which we always ended up playing when we all hung out together. The only sad part about it was that I never seemed to know how to win a match against any of the guys.

"And Nialler wins again! Who's the king of this game? I repeat, who's the king of this game? That's right! I am!" He exclaimed when he won the second match against me.

I let out a sigh and was just about to open my mouth to reply when another voice interrupted me. "You are not the king of Fifa, Niall. You just happen to be playing against someone who's shit at it."

I turned to the doorway, seeing Louis leaning against it with a smirk on his face. My heart suddenly started racing in my chest. Damn, he looked hot. He was dressed in a white, short-sleeved button-up and a pair of black, skinny jeans that were unfolded at the ends. They also made his bum look amazing, and I could tell this because he was sticking his hip out.

His words made me let out a whine, though. "Heey, that's mean!"

Louis rolled his eyes at me, walking over to take a seat on the couch beside Niall. "Well, we both know it's true," he smirked.

I let out a huff, crossing my arms over my chest. Zayn joined us in the living room not even a minute later. "Don't you guys know how to knock on a door?" I muttered, making all three of them laugh.

"You're just grumpy because you don't want to admit the truth about being shit at Fifa," Louis said in amusement.

I picked up a pillow from the couch beside me and threw it at him. It hit him right in the face since he wasn't expecting it. "Look who's grumpy now," I said when the smile dropped from his face.

"Oh, I'm not grumpy. I'm furious," he muttered, picking up the pillow to throw it back at me, but Zayn caught it before he could do so.

"Easy there, Louis. We don't want to cause any fights this evening," he warned, placing the pillow beside him again.

Louis just looked at him for a few seconds before turning to me, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You're not getting away with that, Styles."

I chuckled at him. "It was a pillow, Louis. Calm down. Besides, I'm not scared of you," I smirked.

He shot me a playful glare. "You should be."

He leaned back against the couch again, crossing one leg over the other. "Give me the controller, Niall. I'm gonna beat Curly's ass to prove a point," he said, and Niall handed him the controller with an amused smile on his face.

"We'll see about that," I said smugly, although I was pretty sure he was telling the truth. I would try my best to win, though, but I wouldn't admit that if I ended up losing.

While Louis and I started playing, Zayn went to the kitchen with Niall to fetch the alcohol. "You can bring the bowl of chips and the one with popcorn as well!" I called after them.

"You already have it prepared?" Louis asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Yeah, why not?"

He rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to the game. Niall and Zayn joined us only a minute later, Zayn carrying the alcohol and Niall the two bowls of snacks.

"If I didn't know better, I'd take this as a typical lads night," Niall said, sitting down on the same spot beside me that he sat before, after placing the two bowls on the coffee table.

"Yep, except Liam's not here," Zayn butted in, sitting down next to Louis.

"True."

Zayn placed four beer cans on the table, and Niall didn't hesitate to pop his open and take a large swig of it. Zayn was quick to follow. "Come on, can't you just lose now, Curly? I wanna drink too," Louis whined.

"Oh, shut up. It doesn't matter whether I lose or not. The match won't end faster anyway," I said matter-of-factly. "You can always forfeit, though."

I could feel his glare from the corner of my eye.

Somehow, I ended up winning the match. I was pretty sure it was because I tried my very best to show him that I could be good if I wanted to. And, if he wasn't grumpy before, he sure was when the match was over. He crossed his arms over his chest with a pout on his lips while I flew up from the couch to do a little pirouette.

"I told you I wasn't shit at it, Louis," I beamed from ear to ear.

He grumbled something under his breath, not making eye contact with me. When I sat down again, Niall patted my knee. "I'm actually proud of you, mate. Never seen you play so well before," he complimented.

I smiled at him. "Well, I guess that if you really want to, you can always win," I said, making Louis let out a huff.

I turned to look at him. He had grabbed a beer can from the table and was now popping it open. "You shouldn't have any preconceptions about me, Louis. You never know how things will end up when I'm involved," I smirked.

"Watch your mouth, Styles. Otherwise, the pillow is going to hit your face this time," he muttered.

Before I could open my mouth to reply, there was a knock on the door.

"Thank God Liam's here. He'll have to help me keep the two of you from jumping on each other," Zayn sighed in relief.

He had no idea how much I actually wanted to jump on Louis, just not in the way he thought.

\-----

A few beers, vodka, and Jäger shots later, we were all laughing while talking about awkward situations that had happened in our pasts. Niall had just told a story when he had made a girl join him in the locker room after a game when all the other guys had left. They had been going at it in the shower when Coach suddenly showed up, clearing his throat to tell them that he had to lock the place.

We all doubled over in laughter. It was actually really awkward. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I would be able to look Coach in the eye again if that were to ever happen to me.

"Danny's going to be here in five minutes. We should probably get ready," Louis informed us once we had all calmed down and he was looking at his phone.

Danny was one of Louis' old friends who he had gone to school with when he still went with the students the same age as him. That meant Danny had turned eighteen and was able to drive us to the party tonight.

"Awesome!" Niall called out, getting up from the couch.

Being the responsible son that I was, I got up to take the empty beer cans to the kitchen along with the shot glasses. Since I couldn't take them all in one go, Liam decided to help me.

"Thanks, man," I told him once the glasses were in the dishwasher and the cans were in a paper bag on the floor.

"No problem."

We were about to exit the kitchen when he pulled me back by grabbing my forearm. "How come you're not as excited to go to this party as the other guys?" He asked bluntly.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "What? I am excited."

He narrowed his eyes at me in suspicion but didn't say anything about it. "Evelyn has been talking about you," he told me instead, changing the subject.

My mouth formed the shape of an 'o' at the mention of her name. Not to be rude, but she had slipped my mind completely. "She has?"

"Yeah. Alice told me she's been talking non-stop about meeting you at the party."

Shit. I was rude, wasn't I? I mean, she seemed like a really nice girl. She really did. It was just that my mind was always busy thinking about someone else. No other person was able to get my attention the way Louis was. "I'll make sure to talk to her tonight then," I promised him, to which he nodded with a smile on his face.

Five minutes later, we were all sitting in Danny's car. Niall was sitting on Liam's lap while Louis was sitting in the front beside Danny, and I was in the middle... again. I didn't know how I always ended up sitting there, but I didn't like it.

It didn't take long until Danny pulled over outside a big, white wooden house. "Thanks for the ride, man," Louis said to Danny, patting him on the shoulder in appreciation.

"No problem, Louis. Have fun!"

We all got out of the car, Niall wobbling a little from all the beer he'd had. Otherwise, I would say we were all pretty okay. None of us was that drunk... yet.

___________________________________


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7**

We all went our separate ways once we were inside the house. The music was on full blast, blaring from the speakers. It was easy to tell that there were quite a few people here judging by the jackets that were thrown in a pile in the hall. Also, people kept passing by when I was in the process of taking off my own jacket.

I went into the living room, which wasn't hard to find since you just had to follow the music. A lot of people were dancing, some of them already making out and groping each other. It was strange how fast I had weaned myself off parties because this almost felt like a foreign place for me to be.

Therefore, I took my eyes off the dance floor to try and find where they were serving the drinks and beer. If I was going to survive this night, I most definitely needed some more alcohol in my system.

I made my way through the crowd of people, bumping my shoulders into most of them until I found a table with beer cans and a big punch bowl along with some empty plastic cups. I decided to grab a beer and was just about to pop it open when I could feel someone tap my shoulder.

Turning around, I was surprised to see the black-haired girl I had talked to Liam about earlier. I hadn't expected to see her this early into the party. "Evelyn, hi!" I shouted over the music, plastering a smile on my face.

She was nice. There was no reason for me not to be polite to her, I tried to remind myself. I mean, she hadn't even tried flirting with me yet, so why should I not be polite? God, I sounded like such a girl who was afraid that some nasty guy was going to hit on me. She was pretty too, so there really wasn't any reason for me to be impolite. Then why was I even debating this?

"Hi, Harry. So, you did show up after all," she smirked, reaching around me to grab an empty plastic glass. She filled it with some punch before bringing the cup to her lips.

"I told you so, didn't I?" I chuckled, making her smile widen. "How long have you been here?" I wondered.

She grabbed my forearm to pull me out of the crowd and into the kitchen that was a lot less crowded. It took some time because there were so many people on the dance floor, but eventually, we managed to get there. Only five people were in the kitchen, chatting with each other. Evelyn didn't stop pulling me forward until we were standing beside the fridge, leaning against the counter.

"I've been here for half an hour, I think? What about you?" She asked, taking a sip of her punch.

"I came about fifteen minutes ago. I walked right up to that table when I got here," I said, taking a swig of my beer.

She raised her eyebrows. "So, you went straight to the beer?" She laughed, nodding towards the can in my hand.

I shrugged my shoulders. "A man gotta have his alcohol, you know?" I joked.

She shook her head with a smile on her face, clearly amused.

"So, a bird told me you've been going around talking about me," I said, raising my eyebrows at her, the corners of my lips twitching.

Her cheeks turned light pink as her eyes widened in surprise. "Who tol-- Alice! Ugh, I knew I shouldn't have trusted her," she grumbled, looking down at the cup in her hand in embarrassment.

I opened my mouth to reply when the kitchen door suddenly flew open, catching all of us in the room off guard. In came a quite drunk Louis, looking around the room as if searching for someone. My heart instantly picked up its pace and butterflies erupted in my stomach. He always had this effect on me when he showed up without my knowing.

His gaze landed on me, the only face he must have really recognized in the room. "Curly, you haven't s-seen Emily, have y-you?"

My heart dropped at the sound of her name, but what was more important at this second was how he had managed to get this drunk so fast. We had been here for what? Twenty minutes, and he had already managed to get this intoxicated?

I pulled my eyebrows together as I shook my head slowly. "No, but Louis, wha--" I didn't get to finish that sentence until he had slammed the door shut behind himself and left the room as quickly as he had shown up.

Ouch.

I turned back to Evelyn who seemed shocked by the scene that had taken place judging by the look on her face. "Wasn't that Louis, your best friend?"

I nodded my head, grimacing.

"Wow, it was quite rude of him to just cut you off like that," she frowned, biting her bottom lip.

I shrugged my shoulders, averting my gaze from her. "He's usually like that to me when he's drunk."

"Really? And you're okay with it?"

Honestly, I would have wanted Louis to enter the room, walk up to me and wrap his arm around my waist to claim me as his. I would have wanted him to pull me away from Evelyn just to show her that I wasn't available, that I belonged to him and him only. I doubted that would ever happen, though.

"That's the way he is, I guess," I said, trying to make it seem like it didn't bother me. I mean, I was used to the way he wouldn't acknowledge me as much as I wanted him to, especially when we were at parties. For some reason, he always treated me this way then.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes at me in suspicion, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she changed the subject and started talking about school.

We stayed in the kitchen for at least an hour, chatting with each other. It didn't bother me as much as I first thought it would. I was hesitant about her at first, but only because I was afraid she just wanted to get into my pants. She wasn't like that, though. She was honestly a sweet girl.

"Do you wanna dance?" She suddenly asked, making my eyebrows shoot up.

"Eh, yeah, sure," I accepted, flashing her a smile.

Honestly, I wasn't much of a dancer, but tonight, I really felt like letting loose a little. It had been almost a month since I last did, after all.

She took my hand in hers this time - instead of grabbing my forearm - and together, we walked back to the dance floor that was still as occupied as it had been when we left it. Actually, it seemed like there were even more people dancing now than before, which I found almost impossible considering I thought it was already packed with people then.

Somehow, I managed to catch sight of Niall and Liam in the crowd. Niall was dancing with a brunette, his hands on her hips while his lips were attached to her neck. I couldn't help but smile at the sight. So, Niall got his girl eventually after all.

Liam was dancing with Alice, his arms around her waist while hers were around his neck. They were making out with each other, but not in a nasty way - which you would have assumed at a dance floor - but in a sweet and caring way. They looked like a power couple, and it made my stomach twist because damn, I wanted that too.

Speaking of which, Louis hadn't been present in my mind since he left the kitchen earlier, and I took that as a good sign. The less I thought about him, the fewer images of him hooking up with some girl flashed through my mind. It was probably best if I kept my attention to Evelyn. She was a good distraction.

It was funny how my first intention when I got here was to get drunk, but now an hour later, I had only downed one beer. I blamed Evelyn for that. Or, maybe I should thank her because being hungover was something I could definitely live without tomorrow. It was much better this way.

Evelyn and I started dancing, my hands on her hips while she had her arms around my neck. She leaned her head on my shoulder after a while, hugging herself closer to my body. I was just about to do the same thing to her when I swore I heard a bang.

I knitted my eyebrows together, looking at my surroundings to see if anyone else had noticed the sound. Neither of them seemed to be reacting the same way I did, so I decided to take matters into my hands and investigate what was going on. The noise had come from the entryway.

I excused myself to Evelyn, telling her I needed to use the bathroom. She nodded in reply, and I soon found myself pushing through all the sweaty bodies in the crowd. After a while of struggling, I finally managed to get out and make my way to the entryway.

The sight in front of me made me almost take a step back in surprise. Louis was sitting on the last step of the staircase, one of his hands pressed to his forehead and his nose scrunched up in pain. His brown feathery hair was disheveled as if someone had run their hands through it almost too aggressively. Honestly, it looked like he had sex hair.

"What was that noi-- Louis?" A voice from the top of the staircase called out.

My eyes snapped to the source and settled on none other than Emily. Of course.

I swallowed the jealousy and shock down and finally put my muscles into action, walking over to where Louis was sitting on the step, groaning in pain.

I ignored Emily as I kneeled down in front of him, feeling how my heart was racing in my chest because I had no idea what I was doing. My muscles moved thanks to the feelings I had for him. I did it without thinking.

Placing my hand on his knee, I managed to get his attention. His eyes fell on me, his face softening a little. "H-Harry?"

That must be the first time I heard him call me by my real name in ages. I didn't even remember when he last called me that.

"What happened, Louis? I just heard a loud bang," I asked, noticing how Emily disappeared out of the corner of my eye. Thank you.

He scrunched his nose up again, and I couldn't help but find it cute, despite the circumstances. "I uh... I think I f-fell?" He mumbled, his eyebrows furrowing together.

I took his hand away from his forehead to look at the damage, noticing that he had a swelling going on along with a red bruise. Biting my bottom lip, I searched his face to see if he had hurt himself somewhere else too. When I didn't find any more bruises, I pressed my forefinger and middle finger against the swelling lightly. "Is this the only place where you got hurt?" I asked him, looking into his blue eyes.

He nodded his head slowly. "Yeah. It wasn't th-that bad. I just fell on the last s-step and hit my head against the w-wall," he explained, pointing at the white wall beside us.

I let out a sigh, mentally rolling my eyes because of course he wouldn't admit that it was bad, even if he was as drunk as he was now. "You should be lucky it wasn't worse, Louis."

He didn't say anything. He just let out another groan before leaning his head against the wall, closing his eyes. I realized he was too drunk, too tired, and too hurt to stay here, so I reached out to wrap my hand around his wrist. I got up to my feet before pulling him up with me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

He let out a loud grunt in resistance, trying to sit back on the step, but I forced him to stand up. "Louis, come on. We have to get you home," I muttered.

He shook his head. "No, no. You sh-should go enjoy yourself, H-Harry. Don't m-mind me."

"Don't be stupid. You can't fend for yourself," I sighed, trying to find our jackets in the huge pile on the floor. It was difficult because almost all of them were black, and ours were too. Moreover, I was trying to hold up a drunk guy in the process.

After almost five minutes, I finally found them. I shrugged mine on while Louis leaned his entire body against the wall, his head slipping further down it every second. I managed to catch him before he dropped to the floor and wrapped his jacket around his shoulders before pulling my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans.

I called the first person I could think of. I just hoped to God that she hadn't consumed any alcohol tonight.

"Gemma?"

"Harry, why are yo--"

I cut her off before she could finish the sentence. "Can you please pick me up at the party? Louis has hurt himself, and I can't wait for a cab to pick us up."

She was quiet on the other end for a while before she let out a sigh. "Fine, but I'm only doing it because of Louis. How bad is it? Does he have to go to the hospital?"

I was surprised by how worried she sounded. I didn't think she cared so much about my friends. Glancing at Louis' face, I noticed that he was starting to fall asleep on me. "No, I think he's fine. He's just had a bit too much to drink, so he's starting to fall asleep on me," I explained.

"Alright. I'll be there in ten," she said and hung up on me before I could reply to her.

I slipped my phone back into my pocket before turning back to Louis. He had scrunched his nose up again. "You stink, H-Harry," he mumbled, looking at me through his long eyelashes.

If he didn't look so fucking beautiful right now and if he wasn't hurt, I would have gotten back at him for that, but I couldn't. "Now is not the best time to joke around, Louis."

"I'm not j-joking... Eww."

I shook my head at him with a smile on my face. "You're unbelievable."

He just stared at me, and for a second I didn't see any trace of the Louis I had gotten to know. This Louis looked so much softer. It made me want to squeeze him into my arms. Damn. I had never felt that way about him before. Usually, I wanted him to be squeezing me into his arms. This Louis was something to remember, though.

Right then, I could see the lights of a car flashing by through the window in the entryway, and I instantly knew it must be Gemma. "Come on now, Louis. Let's get out of here."

Somehow, I managed to bring him to Gemma's car without falling over. He wasn't very cooperative, so it was a good thing that he wasn't heavy. He was both shorter and lighter than me, which had me wondering how he always made me feel smaller than him otherwise. I assumed it was thanks to the power that always radiated from him.

I got into the backseat together with Louis, and Gemma instantly turned around to look at us. "How's he doing?"

I studied his face, noticing that he had closed his eyelids once again. "I mean, he still knows how to insult me, so I'm sure he's okay."

An amused smile formed on her face before she turned around to drive off. During the ride, Louis' head fell on my shoulder, and I realized he must have gone to sleep completely now. Damn, I couldn't take him home in this state.

"Gemma, I think it's best if we take him to our place. He's fallen asleep on me," I mumbled, making her turn around to look at me again. Her eyes flickered to Louis for a few seconds before she nodded at me.

Once she parked the car in our driveway, I got out of the car on the side where Louis wasn't sitting before making my way around the vehicle to open his door. I leaned down to take him in my arms so I was carrying him bridal style, and wow, he really was light.

Gemma walked ahead of us to unlock the front door while I walked behind her, trying my best to carry him without falling over thanks to the slippery ground. When I finally got inside, I kicked the door shut behind me before bringing Louis to the living room, gently laying him down on the soft cushion of the couch. I then propped a pillow under his head and draped a blanket over his body so he wouldn't get cold.

Gemma entered the living room a second later with a bag of frozen peas. "You said he hurt himself, didn't you?"

I flashed her a smile. "Thank you, Gems," I said when she'd thrown the bag of peas to me.

"No problem, H. Make sure he's okay before you go to bed, yeah?"

I nodded my head. "Of course. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Harry."

She left the living room, and I didn't waste another second until I kneeled down beside Louis and pressed the bag of peas against the bruise on his forehead. He inhaled a deep breath and grimaced at the touch in his sleep, but it didn't take long until he relaxed. I stayed there for a couple of minutes, pressing the bag to his skin until I was positive it was long enough.

I examined his features and couldn't stop my heart from fluttering in my chest. How was it even possible to look so beautiful? I wished I could touch him, show him how much I liked him. I wished I could tell him how beautiful he was, how badly I wanted to kiss him. I just wished I could do all this without him finding it weird.

With a sigh, I got up to my feet and started making my way out of the room. I stopped at the doorway to get one last look at him, though.

Yeah, I really did wish he was mine.

_____________________________________


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8**

"What am I doing at your house, Curly, and why was there a bag of melted peas on the coffee table?"

I let out a loud yawn, reaching up to rub the sleep out of my eyes. I hadn't even opened them yet. Louis had just bashed into the room while I was still asleep, but he had definitely woken me up now. "Would you be quiet? I'm trying to sleep," I groaned.

Even though my eyes were still closed, I could practically see him roll his eyes. "Wake up, Curly. My head hurts like a fucking bitch."

I guess we were already back to the nicknames...

I opened one eye to peek at him, noticing that he was standing at the end of my bed, looking down at me. He was dressed in the same clothes he had been wearing yesterday, and his hair looked even more disheveled today than it did when I found him sitting on the stairs. He also had a big, swollen bruise on his forehead where he had hit himself in the wall, and I couldn't help but grimace at the sight.

Opening both of my eyes, I sat up against the headboard, revealing my naked chest. "I'm quite sure that's due to the alcohol you had last night, but also because you hit your forehead in the wall on your way down to the first floor at Emily's place," I explained, nodding towards my mirror to indicate him to look at his reflection.

He pulled his eyebrows together in confusion, walking over to body length mirror. His eyes widened when he caught sight of his forehead, and he instantly lifted a hand to run his fingers over the bruise.

It wasn't until then it registered in my brain that Louis was actually here, in my room alone without the other guys anywhere in sight. It had never happened before, and this fact made my heartbeat quicken in my chest. It just felt so private for some reason.

"Why don't I remember any of this?" He asked, turning to look at me.

I shrugged my shoulders, biting my bottom lip. "What's the last thing you remember?" I couldn't help but question even though I probably didn't want to know because I remembered how his hair looked when I found him and that Emily had been standing at the top of the stairs.

He thought for a while. "Um, I'm pretty sure I walked upstairs with Emily, but I don't recall more than that."

I nodded my head, trying to hide the grimace on my face. "Well, you tripped on your way down the stairs and hit your head. I heard when you fell, so I helped you. I was supposed to take you home, but then you fell asleep on me, so I figured it was best to take you here."

He pursed his lips, turning back to look at himself in the mirror. "That explains the bag of melted peas," he mumbled. "Thanks, though."

He said the last part so quietly that I barely heard him, but I did register it, and I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips. "No problem," I said louder, making him snap his face to me.

It took a few seconds until he opened his mouth. "I should go home now. Mom and dad are probably worried about me," he muttered, averting his gaze to the floor.

I nodded my head curtly, looking down at my lap to hide my disappointment. Was he able to drive already, though? I mean, he most likely still had alcohol in his system. On the other hand, I didn't want to argue, so I pulled the blankets off my body and got out of the bed to get dressed.

Louis was still standing by the mirror, and I could see through the corner of my eye that he was looking the other way. I pouted my lips as I grabbed a black t-shirt from my closet along with a pair of black, skinny jeans.

When we exited my room, we ran right into Gemma who had just walked out of her own room. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of us. "Oh, good morning, guys. How are you feeling, Louis?" She asked, the same genuine concern written on her face as last night.

I could see how Louis' mouth fell open in shock, clearly not expecting Gemma to know anything about what happened yesterday. "Uh, my head hurts like a bitch, but otherwise, I feel okay, I guess," he confessed, biting his bottom lip.

Gemma nodded her head in understanding. "I'll get you a glass of water and some pain killers then," she smiled and was just about to walk to the kitchen when I stopped her.

"Actually, Louis was just--"

"Going to use the bathroom. I'll be back in a minute," he said, cutting me off.

I gaped at him as he walked by me to go into the bathroom. What made him change his mind?

Gemma sent me a questioning look, but I just shook my head in dismissal and followed her to the kitchen. I couldn't talk to her when we were standing right outside the bathroom.

She pulled out a glass of water and filled it while I grabbed two Advils from our medicine cabinet. "Why did you look so shocked by what he said?" Gemma wondered, turning to me with raised eyebrows.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Before we walked out of my room, he told me he was going home. That's what I was about to tell you when he cut me off."

"Really?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah. I wonder what made him change his mind," I said, my eyebrows furrowed.

"Maybe it was because I was the one who offered to help him?" She suggested jokingly, making me shoot her a glare.

"Don't you dare, Gemma. He's my friend," I muttered, secretly afraid that she was right. What if Louis did have a crush on her? I mean, Louis' sister apparently had a crush on me.

She let out a chuckle, shaking her head. "I'm just kidding, brother. Calm your tits."

The same second I shot her another glare, Louis entered the kitchen. "Why didn't any of you tell me my hair looked like shit? It looked like a cat had clawed in it," he pouted, taking a seat at the kitchen table.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "You were staring at yourself in the mirror in my room for almost five minutes earlier. Didn't you notice then?" I asked, making him turn to look at me.

"No, I was busy staring at the big, fat, swollen bruise on my forehead that I don't even remember how it got there," he muttered, placing his arms on the table so he could lean his head against them.

I grabbed the glass of water from Gemma's hand and walked over to Louis with it along with the pills in my other hand. "Here you go," I said, placing them in front of his arms on the table.

He looked at them for a few seconds before taking the pills in his hand and popping them into his mouth. He then grabbed the glass of water and chugged the whole thing down in one go.

"So, I was just about to prepare some breakfast. Do you want some, Louis?" Gemma asked, and Louis turned to meet her gaze.

With a faint smile on his face, he shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, if I'm not a bother."

Gemma shook her head. "Of course not. Just stay there. Harry will help me make it," she smiled.

My mouth fell open. "Hey, I never said anyth--" I cut myself off when she shot me a death glare and let out a defeated sigh.

I could see Louis smirk faintly through the corner of my eye, and somehow, it made my heart flutter. I loved it when he acknowledged me, absolutely fucking loved it.

Gemma and I fixed some toasts and pulled out the juice, milk and cereal along with glasses, bowls and spoons, and placed it all on the table.

"So, where's your mom?" Louis asked when we were all sitting down, eating.

"She's asleep. She got off her shift at three in the morning," Gemma explained, to which he nodded.

"What about your mom? Have you heard anything from her? You told me your parents were going to be worried about you if you didn't go home earlier," I wondered, looking at him curiously.

I realized we'd had pretty civil dialogues today, where we talked like two normal people without insulting or making fun of each other. Honestly, it felt better than I expected it to. It was nice to be able to really talk to him and not just joke around, even if I liked doing that too.

"I haven't checked," he mumbled, shrugging his shoulders in dismissal.

I pursed my lips as I nodded my head. Maybe I was the only one out of the two of us who liked talking without joking around? Judging by his short answer and his lack of interest in keeping up a conversation, I assumed so at least.

When we had finished eating breakfast, Louis excused himself again, saying that he had to go home. So, I walked him to the entryway where I had placed his shoes and hung up his jacket last night. He opened the front door and was just about to leave when he turned around to flash me a small smile.

"Thank you for helping me yesterday, really. Please don't tell the other guys what happened, though, yeah? It's already too embarrassing as it is."

I nodded my head without thinking twice about it. I wouldn't tell them if he didn't want me to. "Sure. See you on Monday then?"

He sent me another faint smile, and I knew it must be because of all the pain he was in. "Yeah."

With that said, he shut the door behind himself, leaving me to stare at it for almost half a minute until I turned around to go into my room.

What just happened?

\-----

The rest of that day and Sunday went by pretty quickly. I had work on Sunday, which made the time pass by even faster than I knew it would have if I didn't. So, it wasn't long until I was sitting on the bus, on my way to school on Monday morning.

Other than the party on Friday, it had been a relaxed weekend. Mom didn't work on Saturday, which usually meant we had family dinner, and this Saturday was not an exception. Mom cooked Chicken Alfredo, a favorite of mine, which we all ate while chatting about what had happened during the week. After that, we all settled on the couch to watch a movie. I had my head on mom's lap and my feet on Gemma's while mom played with my curls. Believe it or not, but this was also a tradition.

Gemma would always question why I got to be the one always lying down. I figured it was because I was the youngest and the only guy in the family. "He's the most vulnerable out of us," mom always said, though, and I would have disagreed if it weren't for the fact that I enjoyed having her fingers carding through my hair so much.

The relaxed weekend also gave me time to think about the party and what happened after it. I couldn't take my mind off the way Louis had been so much quieter than he usually was. However, he had been in a lot of pain, so that was probably the reason why.

The second the school bus came to a halt, I grabbed my bag from the seat beside me and slung it over my shoulder before exiting the vehicle. The snow was now gone, which meant that the ground was only wet with water. As long as the busses were still going, I didn't care whether there was snow or not. I just couldn't wait until the summer when you could go outside without a jacket on.

Walking through the hallways, I noticed that the students had gone back to their normal routines after a week. They weren't as talkative as they had been last Monday morning, but most people were still chatting quietly with each other.

After avoiding eye contact with the people looking my way, I finally made it to my locker. Only Niall was there so far, and he was just about to pull out his school books when I got there, but when he heard the presence of another person, he turned around.

"Harry! Good morning, mate," he greeted with a wide smile on his face.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Morning, Niall. What's got you so happy?" I asked as I got rid of my bag and jacket, putting them in my locker.

Through the corner of my eye, I could see him shrugging, still with the same smile playing on his lips.

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to figure out what he was getting at when it suddenly hit me. "You got laid at the party, didn't you?" I could help but laugh. This was funny.

He shrugged his shoulders, the smile turning even wider if that was possible. "Maybe."

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "I saw you dancing with that brunette. Was she the lucky girl?" I chuckled.

When he didn't say anything, I took that as a yes. Letting out another laugh, I stuck my hands in my jeans pockets. "I'm happy for you, mate. You deserved some good ol' intercourse," I smirked.

He shot me a playful glare. "What about you, Harry? I didn't see you at the party after you disappeared with that black-haired girl. Did you take her home, eh?" It was his time to smirk at me now.

I shook my head, opening my mouth to answer him when I could suddenly feel an arm go around my shoulders, pulling me to its body. "Harold here took a cab home with me. We both got sick of the party. Isn't that right?"

Louis was now looking at the side of my face, and I couldn't breathe. He was standing so close and he had his arm around my shoulders. Did he know what he was doing to me? I couldn't even begin to explain how fast my heart was racing.

When I came to my senses, I furrowed my eyebrows. What did he expect? That I would tell Niall what really happened when I told him just the other day that I would keep it a secret? I wasn't that kind of person, especially not when it came to the person I liked.

"Uh, yeah. I wasn't really feeling it, and I found Louis who told me he felt the same way, so we went home together," I shrugged.

Niall turned to Louis with raised eyebrows. "I thought you were staying at Emily's? You went away with her, so we all just assumed that you stayed the night."

Louis bit his bottom lip, shaking his head. It wasn't until then I remembered that he had hit his forehead that night. Glancing at his face, I was amazed that the bruise was barely visible anymore. It was a little red, but he had covered it up well with makeup. The swelling was all gone, though.

"No, I went home."

He then turned to meet my gaze, obviously feeling my stare. The glare he sent me when he noticed that I was looking at his forehead made me avert my gaze abruptly while biting my bottom lip. Honestly, it stung a little that he couldn't even tell Niall that he had slept at my place, but I guess he didn't want any following questions as to why he hadn't just gone home to his own place instead. Either way, I couldn't stop my heart from sinking a little.

"Coach wants us to meet him before practice starts today, Styles. He said it was about something important," Louis muttered under his breath.

I turned my head to meet his eyes again, swallowing hard. "Sure, I'll be there."

I had honestly no idea how I would manage to get there earlier, though. The busses didn't go that frequently, so I would have to be there at least forty-five minutes earlier.

Louis noticed that something was bothering me. "What's the matter?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's just that the busses don't go that frequently in the afternoon, and I don't want to be forty-five minutes early. To be honest, I don't know if I'll even make it to that bus considering we get off school at three-thirty," I said sheepishly.

Louis rolled his eyes. "What about Gemma?"

I shook my head. "She's working today."

He pursed his lips. "I'll pick you up then. If you want to ride with me, that is," he laughed, shaking his head in amusement.

I thought he didn't want to bring his driving up again? Oh well, I wasn't the one to blame this time, so I guess I would just go with it. "It's okay as long as you drive the way you have been the last few times I've ridden with you."

He sent me a smirk. "Then I'll pick you up at five, Curly. Be ready."

_______________________________


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9**

Louis left me and Niall after a short while to go to his class. The first thing Niall did when he was gone was to raise his eyebrows at me.

"What?" I asked him, having no idea what was on his mind whatsoever.

"Did you and Louis just have a conversation without bickering with each other?"

I pulled my eyes together, thinking about it. I mean, sure, we didn't exactly bicker like we usually did, but he did glare at me and he was more quiet than usual. I assumed he was still a little on edge since what happened on Friday night, though, judging by the way he interrupted my and Niall's conversation like that just now.

"I don't know?" I said stupidly, biting my bottom lip.

He looked at me strangely. "You actually agreed with each other on something. I've never seen you get along like that before."

I avoided making eye contact with him. Why was keeping a secret so hard? I wanted to tell him that Louis had slept over at my house after the party. I wanted to tell him how much it all meant to me, that it felt like we had gotten closer somehow, even if we hadn't really talked much. Spending time with Louis alone just made me feel closer to him.

"Actually, the fact that you two went home together after the party is a little off as well. I mean, you guys don't usually hang out just the two of you otherwise, right? And now he's even offering to drive you to practice. You didn't even have to ask him," Niall said, thinking out loud.

Thankfully, the bell rang right then, and I instantly took the opportunity to say bye to him before heading to Economics. On my way there, I couldn't stop thinking about why I had felt so uncomfortable in the situation. I mean, nothing had changed between me and Louis, so why couldn't I just explain that to Niall?

Maybe because I wanted me and Louis to have grown closer.

\-----

When I got home from school that day, mom was sitting at the kitchen table, writing what I assumed was a to-do list. The second I entered the kitchen, she looked up from her papers, a smile forming on her lips. "Hey there, sweetie," she greeted, pointing to the seat opposite her.

I sat down on the chair, letting my arms rest on the table just like Louis had done two days ago, only that I wasn't in pain. I was just tired after a long day of school. Just the thought of having to go to practice made me yawn.

"I thought you had a late shift today," I mumbled, thinking about the fact that Louis was going to pick me up because he thought I didn't have anyone else to drive me.

She shook her head, the smile still prominent on her face. "I was supposed to, but my boss called me last second to tell me I could have the day off. I thought I might as well get some stuff done then," she explained, referring to the to-do list on the table in front of her.

I pursed my lips. "I wish I could have the day off as well," I sighed, leaning down to rest my head on my arms.

I could see her giving me a sympathetic smile through the corner of my eye. "Is my baby feeling tired?" She cooed, making me roll my eyes.

"I'm not a baby, mom," I groaned, burying my face in my arms. "But yes, I am tired."

She let out a light chuckle. "You should get something to eat. I'm sure you'll get a boost of energy then. I can make you some pancakes if you want?" She suggested, and I snapped my head up to look at her.

"Really?" I asked incredulously.

"Of course."

With an appreciating smile, I got up from my chair to give her a kiss on the cheek. "You're the best, mom. I'm going to change into my gear. I'll be back in a minute," I promised her.

She rolled her eyes at my affection as I made my way out of the kitchen to my room. I already felt more alert, and then I hadn't even had something to eat yet. Just the fact that mom was making pancakes made me happy. I loved it when she was home on weekdays because she would always do small things to both me and Gemma that meant so much. That was her way of showing how much she loved us. She didn't have to buy us loads of expensive things for us to know that.

Once I had changed into my gear, I went back to the kitchen where mom was now standing at the stove, frying the pancakes. When she heard me entering the room, she turned around to face me. "What time does practice start?"

"Louis' picking me up at five. Apparently, Coach wants to talk to us," I said, biting my bottom lip when his name rolled off my tongue.

She looked a little surprised by that. "Louis, you say? I haven't met him in a while," she pointed out, pursing her lips.

"He was actually here the other day," I said, feeling how my heart was racing in my chest because we were talking about my crush, which she didn't know, but anyway.

"When I was at work?"

I shook my head. "No, he stayed the night on Friday after the party. You were still sleeping when he went home Saturday morning," I explained.

Her mouth formed the shape of an 'o'. "I see. How is he doing?" She wondered, turning back to face the stove so she could flip the pancake in the pan.

Louis had told me not to tell the boys what happened at the party. Did that also include my mom? I mean, they barely ever talked, so it wasn't like he would ever find out she knew anyway. Besides, she would never make fun of him or anything like that if so.

I shrugged my shoulders, although she couldn't see me. "He's doing good, I think," I mumbled. "He hurt himself at the party, though, and he's been acting a little different since then."

She turned around so I could see the frown on her face. "Why is that?"

I bit my bottom lip, sitting down at the kitchen table. "Honestly, I don't know, but I think he was in pain Saturday morning, which was why he wasn't as high on life as he usually is. He didn't want the boys to know what happened at the party because it's already too embarrassing as it is, he said. So, he was acting a bit weird at school today too."

Mom nodded her head slowly. "I don't know what's going on inside that boy's head, but I think you should listen to him."

Of course I listened to him. I liked him so much, so if I ever were to disappoint him or let him down, I would never be able to forgive myself. I didn't know why he wanted everything that happened to be a secret, but if that was his wish, I was going to keep my promise.

"Of course, mom. I'm not stupid," I muttered.

She let out a chuckle, walking over to place the pancake in the pan on the plate in front of me. "I've raised you well, my son."

I rolled my eyes at her comment before digging in to the delicious pancakes. I ate so many of them that I thought I was going to throw up if I even tried to get up from my chair. How on earth was I going to be able to play soccer now?

"Mom, you're the reason I won't be able to go to practice today," I whined, massaging my full stomach under my shirt.

She was sitting in the seat opposite me again, an amused smile on her face. "You shouldn't have eaten so many of them, honey."

Letting out a groan, I buried my face in my arms on the table. I didn't have time to think of how I was going to accomplish my situation until I could hear a car honk outside, though. My head instantly snapped to the kitchen window, looking out only to see Louis' black sports car. Fuck.

"Is it Louis?" Mom wondered, looking at me.

I nodded my head as I let out a sigh. "He's going to kill me if I don't go out there, but I can't fucking move."

Mom let out a chuckle. "I don't think he's going to kill you, honey."

She clearly didn't know him because I was one hundred percent sure he would be pissed at me if I didn't go out there now. I could hear his words from this morning on repeat in my head; 'I'll pick you up at five, Curly. Be ready'.

As if reading my mind, I could hear the front door swing open in the entryway right then. "Harold Styles! Didn't I tell you to be ready at fi-- Oh, hi, Anne."

Louis was now standing in the doorway of the kitchen, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly upon seeing my mom at the table with me.

Mom turned around in her seat to get a look at him. "Louis, my dear. How nice to see you again. It's been way too long," she smiled, making Louis' lips twitch a little, but he was still hesitant.

"Uh, yeah. I uh, I didn't expect you to be here? Harry never mentioned anything about it," he explained, his cheeks a little rosy.

I found it absolutely adorable. I liked this guy so much that I couldn't even begin to describe it. The way he was standing there, his black winter jacket on over his soccer gear with his hair perfectly swept to the side even if the weather wasn't the best. How did he always manage to look so good?

"He didn't know either. He was just as surprised as you to see me here, darling."

This time Louis' lips curled into a genuine smile. "I see. Well, Coach wants the two of us to get to the gym a little earlier. So, Harry, will you come with me?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at me expectantly.

I found it a little funny how he called me by my real name just because my mom was in the room. I wondered if he was afraid she was going to point it out if he called me by one of his nicknames because I was sure he would have never called me 'Harry' otherwise.

"I wish I could, but unfortunately, I can't move," I grimaced, making his eyebrows knit together.

"What on earth are you-- I mean, what are you talking about?" He wondered, clearing his throat in the middle of the sentence because the first part came out a little too harshly.

I pouted my lips. "I ate too many pancakes."

He rolled his eyes at me, looking at my mom. "Do I have your permission to pick him up, throw him over my shoulder and take him to my car?"

Mom let out a loud bark of laughter. "Yes, you have."

I let out a loud gasp, looking at mom with wide eyes. "Mom, how could yo--"

The air was suddenly knocked out of my lungs when my chest collided with Louis' back, causing the interruption of my sentence. "Louis, I'm going to throw up at you!" I shrieked in warning, hitting him just above his bum.

If it weren't for the fact that it felt like the pancakes in my stomach were going to come right back up, I would have enjoyed the situation much more. I mean, his ass was right in front of my fucking eyes, and he was touching me, even carrying me. Could it get better?

When he didn't answer me, I let out a loud groan, trying my best to keep from throwing up at him by covering my mouth with my hand and swallowing the arisen bile down. When I could feel cold air hit the skin on my lower back where my shirt had ridden up, I let out a squeal.

"My jacket, Louis! My shoes and my bag!"

We made it to his car successfully - thank God for that - and he put me down in the passenger seat. "I'll get your stuff. Stay right there."

As if I could go anywhere even if I wanted to. If I had been feeling sick before Louis decided to throw me over his shoulder, it couldn't compare to how I was feeling now. I put my palms over my face, inhaling deep breaths to make the sickness go down. It only helped a little.

Louis came back a minute later, tossing my jacket at me, my shoes on the floor at my feet, and my bag in the backseat before climbing in behind the wheel. I could feel him stare at me where I was sitting, hunched over with my hands over my face.

"What?" I groaned, turning my head and parting my fingers so I could peek at him.

"Nothing."

With that, he turned on the engine and drove off towards the gym. We were quiet for at least three minutes until we started talking, and when the silence broke, it was because of him. I didn't even know if I could speak normally yet. I was too afraid of throwing up.

"How many pancakes did you eat?"

I pulled my eyebrows together, taking one last deep breath before opening my mouth, hoping that it wouldn't turn out a disaster. "Five, I think?"

He let out a chuckle. "Your stomach couldn't handle five pancakes?"

"Heeey," I whined. "I was just finished when you got there. If I had just gotten a few more minutes, my sickness would have gone down, but you decided to turn me upside down."

He rolled his eyes. "It was the only way for us to get to the gym on time."

I shot him a glare. "You could have carried me bridal style, or at least piggy back, but no. Now I definitely won't be able to practice," I groaned, running my hands through my hair. Great, now I didn't have a hair tie either.

"It's going to go down until then, trust me."

Well, I sure hoped so.

We were quiet for another while. I was now sitting upright in my seat, looking out the window while biting my lip. Thank God he was driving safely. Otherwise, I would probably be throwing up right now. However, my sickness was going down by the second, and the reason behind that was most likely because he was actually driving really well.

"I have to give it to you. You can be a good driver when you want to," I admitted sincerely, looking at him through the corner of my eye to see his reaction.

The corners of his lips twitched a little, but only a little. "Didn't I tell you that already, Curly?"

"Sod off," I muttered.

Couldn't he just take a compliment from me and be happy about it? No, he just had to make a joke out of it, didn't he?

When he noticed I was still looking out the window without saying anything else, he opened his mouth to speak. "I uh, thank you, I guess? I don't usually get many compliments, so I don't really know how to handle it."

I knitted my eyebrows together. What did he mean by that? I mean, just the other day, Liam complimented him about being a great teammate and leader. Coach did too, and then he was handling it well. So, what was he getting at?

"You don't? I mean, you received quite a few of them when Coach chose you to be captain. Liam also told you what a great captain you would be that day in the hallway," I pointed out, still frowning.

He shrugged his shoulders. "That was basically just about my soccer skills. It doesn't feel that personal to me, you know?"

I pursed my lips, nodding my head thoughtfully. "Well, I think you're a great guy, Louis. At least when you want to be," I chuckled, making the corners of his lips twitch.

"Should I even take that as a compliment?"

Nodding my head, I sent him a smile. "Yeah, you should."

The smile remained on his face for at least two minutes until he spoke up again. "So, how did things go between you and that girl at the party? It seemed like you were pretty close," he smirked cheekily.

I bit my bottom lip, looking down at my lap. "Evelyn's a great girl. She's really nice, but we didn't... do anything. I uh, I heard you fall in the stairs when I was dancing with her," I shrugged.

Louis hummed quietly. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to interrupt anything for you."

I shook my head vigorously. "No. No, you didn't. I uh, I wasn't about to do anything with her anyway. I just wasn't... feeling it, you know?" I muttered.

Why was this so difficult? Well, maybe because I was talking to my crush about a girl that didn't really matter to me because he was all I could think about.

He raised his eyebrows at me. "Oh, I see."

Letting out a sigh, I reached up to run a hand through my curls. "What about you and Emily?" I asked although I didn't want to know. It felt mean of me not to ask him about her when he had asked me about Evelyn, though.

He shrugged his shoulders. "She wasn't really good, to be honest. Way too obedient."

I swallowed hard as I nodded my head. "So you remember what happened now?"

He looked at me for a second before looking back at the road. "Yeah, a bit more, at least. I remember falling on my way down the stairs and hitting my head. Then I remember you coming to my rescue."

I bit my lip to prevent a smile from forming on my lips. We didn't have time to talk more about it, though, because right then, Louis was sliding into an empty spot in the parking lot outside the gym.

"You feeling better now?" Louis asked when I opened the door to get out of the car. I had slipped my feet in my shoes and put on my jacket.

I nodded. "Yeah, the nausea is gone, but I'm still feeling full."

He let out a chuckle, getting out of the car. "I could always carry you over my shoulder again if you still aren't able to walk," he chuckled.

I let out a snort. "I think I'll manage."

We grabbed our bags from the backseat and headed towards the gym entrance. Coach was already sitting in the locker room when we got there, a folder on his lap. He looked up at us when we joined him, a smile forming on his lips.

"Hi, boys. Thank you for coming in earlier."

Louis and I nodded in acknowledgment. "Can I ask what you wanted to talk to us about?" Louis wondered, raising his eyebrows at Coach.

He nodded. "It's about two things. One, I'd like you two to fix a lineup, what players you want to start playing at the upcoming games and what positions they should have. Second... and this is a bit more serious. They called me from the Arsenal Football Club Academy a few days ago, and they would like to give the best player on our team a scholarship."

Both Louis and I let out loud gasps.

"But it can only be one player, and it's between the two of you, so you are going to have to fight for it."

____________________________


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 10**

Fight against Louis for a scholarship? If it had been anyone else, I would have been so excited about it, but I wasn't sure if I was able to compete against him. I wanted him to be just as happy as I wanted myself to be in life. Sure, the scholarship would be a great opportunity, and I would be thrilled if I got it, but I would feel incredibly awful for Louis if I took that chance away from him.

I was so shocked by Coach's words that I was gaping at him. Meanwhile, Louis let out an excited gasp. "Are you serious? A scholarship for Arsenal Football Club Academy?"

Coach nodded his head. "That's correct. Oh, and please let this stay between the three of us. We wouldn't want any bad blood between you and the other players, yeah?"

Louis and I nodded our heads, me a little slower than him because I was still in shock. Coach flashed us a wide smile before getting up from the bench. "Alright, guys. I hope to see you two play at your very best during the rest of the season, and good luck to both of you."

He patted our shoulders on his way out of the locker room, leaving me and Louis alone. The second Coach shut the door behind himself, Louis turned to me. "The game is on, I see," he said cheekily.

I let out a chuckle. "I guess it is."

A few minutes later, the rest of the guys on the team started slipping into the locker room. Louis and I were sitting beside each other on the bench, tying our cleats and pulling on our shin pads when Niall entered the room. He looked at us curiously while making his way over.

"So, what did Coach want to talk to you about?" He asked us as he had placed his bag on the bench beside me.

I cleared my throat, deciding to be the one to reply. "It actually wasn't as important as he made it out to be. He wanted me and Louis to come up with a lineup for the upcoming games this season," I shrugged. The best part about it was that I didn't have to lie, I just left some parts out.

"Oh, I see. I hope the two of you put me and the guys on the field," Niall said, fluttering his eyelashes.

Louis let out a chuckle. "Of course, mate. Wouldn't dream of anything else," he chuckled before turning to me.

"By the way, when do you have time to fix the lineup, Curly?"

I shrugged my shoulders, biting my bottom lip. "Uh, I can't tomorrow."

He rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. You have work tomorrow, don't you?"

"Yes, Louis, I do. And didn't I tell you to stop teasing me about my job? I don't have rich parents who can afford to buy me whatever I want," I huffed, crossing my arms over my face with a pout on my lips.

The cheeky smile on Louis' face faltered a little by my words. "How about on Wednesday before practice, then?"

I was a little surprised that he decided not to argue with me on that. He liked teasing me, and I thought nothing I said was going to stop him from doing so. Now, he was probably going to bring up my job again in the future, but the fact that he decided to drop it now caught me off guard.

"It works for me."

Right then, it was time to go out to the gym. Louis got up to leave the locker room, and so did I. However, before I had reached the door, I was pulled back by an arm on my shoulder. I turned around in confusion only to see Niall standing behind me with raised eyebrows, a knowing look on his face.

I just shook my head because honestly, if Niall thought things were different between me and Louis, he was wrong. Things weren't different and they would probably never be.

\-----

Training went alright, even though I had eaten so much I nearly threw up earlier and didn't have a hair tie to put my hair up in a bun with. We practiced penalties and long shots, which made Liam have to work a lot since he was the goalkeeper. He was a good one too and managed to save a lot of penalty shots.

So far, Louis hadn't shown any sign of competing against me. He kept playing like he usually did during practice, even when we played a game at the end of it and the two of us ended up on different teams. I thought he was going to try slide tackling me or something, just to make a point and show Coach who deserved the scholarship the most, but he didn't.

Maybe he wanted to get the scholarship only if he deserved it? I mean, blackmailing or distracting me wouldn't make him get it fairly, not by hurting me either. I wondered if that was his thought on it, or if it was simply because he would never do something like that to get what he wanted. He wasn't an ass, after all.

When we were back in the locker room, I slipped off my sweaty gear before grabbing my towel and shampoo bottle. I then headed into the showers. Honestly, showering directly after practice was one of the best feelings, especially when it was cold outside. The gym was pretty cold as well, so the hot water felt amazing against my skin.

"Curly, can I borrow some shampoo? I forgot mine at home."

My eyes widened at the angelic voice, making my breath hitch because shit, I was in the shower, which could only mean one thing. He was in the shower as well. I turned my head slightly to the right to see Louis standing under the spray next to me. Quickly shutting my eyes, I inhaled a deep breath before opening them again.

Keep your eyes on his face, Harry. Keep your eyes on his face.

"Uh, sure."

He reached his hand out, expecting me to hand the bottle to him. I grabbed it from the floor and extended it to him, but when he pulled it out of my grasp, I still held my hand out expectantly. He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Wha--"

"You only said you wanted to borrow it," I shrugged, my lips twitching into a cheeky smile.

He let out a snort. "Aren't you funny, Harold?" He said, rolling his eyes.

I dropped my hand, my entire face beaming. "But sure, you can have some if you want," I said, making him shake his head in amusement while opening the bottle.

While he squirted some shampoo into his hand, I tried my best not to peek at his ass. I mean, it looked amazing with clothes on, so I could only imagine how it looked without any. Shit, what the hell was I thinking? I should not be thinking about this while I was in the showers with him.

"Here you go."

I shook the thoughts out of my head and snapped back to reality, where Louis was standing, the bottle of shampoo extended in his hand. I grabbed it, putting a smile on my face. "I expect you to lend me some next time."

He looked at me with amusement. "Don't you mean give you some, eh?" He said, making my mouth fall open.

Laughing, Louis turned off his shower, grabbed his towel and left. I let out a huff, turning my shower off as well before wrapping my towel around my waist. I couldn't believe I let him use my joke on me.

He was still laughing when I got back to the bench, but this time it was for something Zayn had said or done. The black-haired boy was sitting on the bench opposite us along with Liam and a few other guys. "What's going on?" I wondered, my eyes on Louis although the question was more directed at Zayn.

Zayn slapped his hand on his knee, pointing at Niall who had a grumpy look on his face. "Oh my God. You should have seen his face," he laughed.

Furrowing my eyebrows together, I sat down beside the blonde-haired boy. "What did he do?" I asked Niall since Zayn seemed too busy laughing to explain.

Before he had time to say something, Liam opened his mouth. "He grabbed Niall's towel while he was undressing, so when he was supposed to wrap it around his naked body, it was gone," he explained. He was not as amused as the other guys, but the corners of his lips were threatening to curl.

Zayn let out another bark of laughter when he heard the story all over again.

"Shut up, Zayn. It's not funny," Niall grumbled, who now had the towel wrapped around his waist.

The other guys in the room found it amusing as well, but they had now gone back to mind their own business. I placed a hand on Niall's shoulder. "Don't mind Zayn, Niall. He's just being an ass," I reassured him, making the corners of his lips twitch.

"So, Harry, your birthday is coming up. You have anything specific planned for it?" Zayn asked, changing the subject when all laughter in the room had died down.

I shook my head slowly. "No, I haven't really thought about it, to be honest," I confessed, reaching into my bag to get out the black sweater I had packed.

Partying hadn't really been on my mind lately, but throwing an eighteenth birthday party had always been something I wanted to do in life. There were still a few days left to prepare for it, though. No need to rush things, right?

"Well, your day is getting closer, Harry. I sure hope you're going to come up with something unforgettable," he smirked, making me shake my head in amusement.

"Don't worry, Zayn. I'm only turning eighteen once in my life."

"That's what I wanted to hear," he chuckled, getting up from the bench to head into the shower.

Niall and Liam followed suit, leaving me and Louis alone with the other guys that hadn't been paying attention to our previous conversation. Louis was pulling a forest green Adidas hoodie over his tousled, brown hair, and I couldn't help but look at him. I loved that hoodie on him so much. He looked so sexy in it. I just wanted to wrap my arms around his body and cuddle into him.

"You planning on throwing a big party then, yeah?" Louis wondered, raising his eyebrows at me.

I cleared my throat, trying to get back to reality by blinking my eyes and focusing on his face. His eyes were really dreamy, though. I could stay lost in them forever. "Uh, yeah. I guess that's the plan."

"You guess?" He chuckled.

I shrugged my shoulders. "As I mentioned, I haven't really thought about it yet."

He raised his eyebrows at me. "Your birthday is next week. You should have started thinking about it a long time ago."

I knitted my eyebrows together, pulling my own sweater over my head. "You didn't even throw a party when you turned eighteen," I pointed out.

He shook his head, the corners of his lips twitching. "My birthday is on Christmas Eve, Curly. No one wanted to celebrate someone's birthday then."

I rolled my eyes. "It doesn't matter. I don't need a month to prepare for a party. I just need a couple of days."

Louis shrugged his shoulders, a smile on his lips. "If you say so."

We both got dressed, and it didn't take long until Liam, Zayn and Niall reemerged from the showers after that. Niall was hitting Zayn across his head - probably for something he had said - while Liam was walking behind them both, shaking his head in amusement.

"Do you guys need a ride home?" Louis asked them when they had sat down on the benches.

All of them shook their heads. "Dad's picking me and Zayn up," Liam replied.

"Greg is picking me up," Nialls said, smiling.

Louis turned to me then. "I guess that means it'll be just you and I again, Styles," he smirked, making me swallow hard.

Alone with Louis again? That had happened so many times lately that I was starting to lose count. Honestly, it rarely happened at all before. How did that change so drastically? It felt like someone either wanted me to suffer, or to prove me something.

"I guess so," I mumbled, shoving the remaining things in my bag before zipping it closed.

"Hey, Louis, what have you done to your forehead?" Zayn spoke up, making every muscle in my body freeze.

Everything was going so well. Louis had acted normal the entire afternoon thanks to the fact that the incident at the party hadn't been brought up. Why did Zayn have to mention it now? Right, because the makeup covering Louis' bruise had been removed in the shower. Fuck.

Louis pulled his eyebrows together but didn't say anything. I took that as my cue to open my mouth and start explaining. "Louis and I practiced soccer during the weekend, and I managed to knock his forehead with my elbow when we both jumped to head the ball at the same time," I explained, making Zayn's eyebrows shoot up.

"You spent time together just the two of you?"

Why was that so hard to believe? Sure, it hadn't happened too many times in the past, but they made it sound like it was completely out of the question.

"Without killing one another?" He continued, still shocked.

"I know right? That's what I said when they told me they went home together after the party too," Niall piped up.

"Oh, shut it. Louis and I don't bicker all the time," I muttered, glancing at the feathery-haired boy.

Louis looked deep in thought, pulling at his bottom lip with his thumb and forefinger. When he noticed that all of us were watching him, though, he looked up. "What?"

Zayn rolled his eyes. "What are you thinking about, Tommo?"

He shook his head, pursing his lips. "Nothing. Are you ready to go, Harold?"

I nodded my head, getting up from the bench and slinging my bag over my shoulder. "Bye, guys."

I could feel their stares at our backs when we left the locker room, and I bet Louis could too. It was impossible not to because it was obvious that they were both curious and suspicious.

Louis and I didn't say a word until we were sitting in his black sports car. I turned to him, expecting him to say something, anything really because he had been quiet for so long that it was making me frustrated. Louis was never this quiet otherwise. It seemed like it only happened whenever the incident at the party was brought up.

"Alright, you need to tell me why it's so necessary to keep what happened at the party a secret from the guys," I told him, staring at the side of his face.

He was looking down at his lap while fiddling with his fingers. It took at least ten seconds until he let out a deep breath and turned to meet my gaze. "You know that Zayn's parents work with mine, right?"

I nodded my head slowly, trying to work out how that had anything to do with it. "Yeah?"

He took another deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "I just don't want my parents to find out what happened, alright?" He explained, looking at me in a way that made me not question him any further. There was something that told me it was a topic that he didn't want to talk about, so I dropped it with a nod of my head.

Louis turned on the engine of the car and drove off towards my house. "Thank you for saving me there, though," he mumbled after a few minutes of silence.

I glanced at him, the corners of my lips twitching a little. "No problem."

Once Louis pulled over outside my house, he turned off the engine and turned to look at me. "About the scholarship. I want this to be a fair competition between us. I don't want it in any way other than because I deserve it. I hope you feel the same way about that too."

"Well, of course."

A smile made its way to his face by my words. "Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school, Curly. Oh, and don't forget about Wednesday. Coach won't be happy with us if we don't come up with that lineup soon."

"I won't, Louis," I smiled. "I won't."

__________________________________


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 11**

Tuesday turned out to be rather uneventful. I didn't talk to anyone other than the guys at school, and no new, funny customers had entered the diner during the evening either. It was nice to meet Lucas again, though, since it had been a while since the last time.

Before I knew it, Wednesday rolled around. The lads and I were currently sitting in the cafeteria at school, chatting about... girls. It wasn't exactly my favorite topic, but it wasn't like I could do anything about it. Guys our age usually talked about girls, I assumed.

"So, Zayn. Did you get laid on the night of the party?" Louis asked him with raised eyebrows.

A smirk formed on the black-haired guy's face. "Oh, yeah, for sure. And damn, it was nice."

Liam rolled his eyes while Niall laughed.

"What about you, Tommo?" Zayn asked in return, ignoring Liam and Niall's reactions.

This was one of those moments I wanted to press my fingers against my ears to block their voices out, but unfortunately, I couldn't do that now. Instead, I had to bite my tongue and pretend that whatever words escaped Louis' mouth wouldn't affect me.

Louis looked down at his lap for a few seconds before looking up with a smile on his face. "Yeah, but it was only a quicky, though," he smirked.

Niall and Zayn 'ohed' at him, Zayn even wiggling his eyebrows. "Who was it? Was it the girl who hosted the party? What's her name again? Emma?"

"Emily," I said flatly, making all their eyes fall on me. "She's in my Economics class."

"Right," Zayn said, clearing his throat. "Was it her?"

Louis shot me a questioning look before turning back to Zayn when he noticed I wasn't going to meet his gaze. "Eh, yeah. Honestly, I don't remember much of that night, though. I had a lot to drink," he grimaced.

He sure did. I mean, he did fall asleep on me in Gemma's car, after all.

"What about you, Harry? I saw you and that black-haired girl getting it on, eh?" Zayn said, wiggling his eyebrows at me this time.

"Her name is Evelyn," Liam piped up. His eyes were locked on me, seeming curious about what happened between us at the party.

I shrugged my shoulders. "We just got to know each other, that's all. She's a lovely girl, though," I explained honestly, making Zayn furrow his eyebrows together.

"Right."

As if on cue, we were accompanied by Alice and her friends only a couple of minutes later, and Evelyn was one of them. Sadly, the girl who had taken a liking to Louis last time was with them as well, and she didn't hesitate to sit down on the empty chair beside him.

"Hey, boys," Alice greeted with a smile on her face, leaning down to peck Liam on the lips.

Evelyn took a seat next to me, turning to give me a wide smile. "Hi, Harry."

"Evelyn," I smiled back, glancing at Louis through the corner of my eye. He seemed too busy chatting with the blonde girl to even acknowledge me, or any of the other guys either for that matter. I mentally let out a deep sigh.

"I haven't seen much of you since the party, where you suddenly disappeared too," she pouted, looking at the side of my face.

I turned to meet her gaze again. "Oh, right. I'm sorry about that. Something came up and I had to go home. It wasn't anything personal, though, I swear," I promised her, giving her an apologizing look.

She shook her head with a smile on her face. "It's okay, Harry, although I was a little disappointed. I thought things were going great between us."

I swallowed hard, nodding my head slowly. "Yeah, I'm sorry," I apologized again.

We fell into a conversation about what I had missed at the party after I had gone home. Some guy had apparently lashed out at another guy because he had talked to his girlfriend, which had caused chaos. Then a girl had thrown up on the dancefloor, thus creating a mess. Honestly, I didn't feel like I had missed out on anything.

Lunch break was soon finished, and we separated from the girls. The second we were standing at our lockers, Zayn turned to me with raised eyebrows. "Just getting to know each other, huh? From the looks of it, you and that Evelyn girl seem to have gotten quite close."

I rolled my eyes, opening my locker to get my school books out. "It's nothing, Zayn."

He let out a snort. "If that's the case, make sure she knows about it too because she obviously thinks there is something more going on."

Pulling my eyebrows together, I bit my bottom lip. Did Evelyn really like me that much? In that case, how come I hadn't noticed it? I wasn't too caught up in Louis to have missed it, right?

Before I could reply to him, Louis shut my locker right in front of my face. I turned to him questioningly, only to see that he was looking at me with narrowed eyes. "Is that what you call 'getting to know each other' and 'not feeling it'?" He wondered, nodding in the direction of the cafeteria.

I swallowed hard, feeling a bit confused about what he was on about. There was something about him that was so intimidating that I couldn't look away from his blue eyes, though. "What are you talking about?"

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

With that said, he walked off without so much as looking back. I turned to Zayn who had no idea what was going on either judging by the shrug of his shoulders. Letting out a deep sigh, I decided to drop it.

If something was bothering Louis, he was going to tell me about it, right?

\-----

Once the last bell of the day rang, I gathered my books on the desk and pressed them to my chest before exiting the classroom. On my way back to my locker, I caught a few glances from people I met, some of them even greeting me by my name. And although I didn't know their names in return, I smiled back at them because I didn't want to seem rude.

Louis and Liam were at the lockers when I arrived, too busy getting out their jackets and bags to acknowledge my appearance. "Hey, guys," I greeted to gain their attention.

They both turned to me then, Louis with a hand on his hip. "Alright, Curly. School's over. Where are we headed?"

I had not forgotten about the fact that we were going to meet up to make the lineup today. Honestly, I hadn't been able to stop thinking about it since we agreed on it. Being alone with Louis? Yes, please.

"Um, how about your place? It's been a while since we were there," I suggested.

He shook his head firmly. "No. My sisters are home, and they are always a pain in the ass," he muttered.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Well, speaking of your sisters, Lottie told me she wanted me to come over soon."

He let out a snort. "Yeah, whatever."

"She also told me she has a crush on me."

Technically, she didn't admit it herself, but it didn't really matter how I found out about it. Louis' reaction was priceless, though. He took a step towards me, pointing a finger at my chest. "Don't you dare try anything with her, Styles," he warned me.

I shook my head in amusement, which he didn't find funny at all. If only he knew she wasn't the Tomlinson I was after, though. "I mean it."

"I would never," I said with a cheeky smile on my face. It was fun to play with him a little because to me, it was so obvious that I would never try anything with Lottie. He didn't need to know just how obvious it was, though.

He let out a growl, taking another step towards me. He was so close that it was almost impossible for me to breathe normally. Shit. "Harold Styles, I swear to God. If you ever touch my sister, I won't hesitate to--"

"As long as you don't try anything with Gemma, I won't go near Lottie," I reasoned, cutting him off.

Even if I had forced myself not to think about it, I couldn't help but be a little bothered by the way he had acted around Gemma the day after the party. I mean, he had changed his mind about going home when she had offered to help him, and he had gladly accepted to eat breakfast with us when she asked him. That couldn't just go unnoticed.

His body visibly relaxed, and he took a step back, running a hand through his fringe. "You think I'm interested in Gemma?"

I shrugged my shoulders, avoiding eye contact with him. "Well, seeing as you practically like every human being with boobs and a butt, I wouldn't be surprised," I muttered, feeling how my heart sunk in my chest at my own words because damn, they were so true. "Besides, you didn't really seem to not like her when you were over."

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "How about we just stay away from each other's sisters, alright?"

I extended a hand for him to shake, and he took it without hesitation. "Deal."

For some reason, our conversation made me happy. It didn't seem like Louis had any problem with staying away from Gemma, so maybe I had just gotten it all wrong? Either way, I knew I wouldn't have a hard time keeping my promise because the only Tomlinson I was after was him.

Moreover, the fact that I got to hold Louis' hand didn't make me any less happy. I felt electricity shoot through my entire arm just by his touch, and I loved it. It made butterflies erupt in my stomach.

"Alright, guys. Now that you've called a truce, I just wanted to tell you that I'm heading home," Liam announced, making both Louis and I turn to him.

"Oh, right. See you at practice, Liam," Louis replied with a smile on his face.

I said goodbye to him as well before he walked off. Louis and I started making our way through the hallways too once I had fetched my jacket and bag from my locker. "So, we never decided where we are heading," he reminded me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Let's just go to my place then. I don't think either mom or Gemma is home anyway."

He nodded his head curtly, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth.

Once we got to his car, we threw our bags in the backseat before getting inside. It was still cold outside, so the first thing Louis did was to turn the heat up once he had started the car. We didn't talk much during the ride to my house, but he did make sure to drive safely and not put the radio on a high volume. It seemed like he had actually listened to me for once.

The second he pulled into my driveway, we got out of the car and I got my bag from the backseat before walking over to unlock the front door. As I had suspected, neither Gemma nor mom was home, which meant it was only going to be me and Louis.

We got out of our jackets and shoes before heading to the living room. I sat down on one end of the grey couch while he sat down on the other. "So, what players do you think are worthy to play from the start of the game, Curly?" Louis wondered.

I thought about it for a while before replying. "Well, obviously, I think Liam, Niall and Zayn should get to play. Then I guess Trevor and Tristan are worthy of it as well. What about you?"

"Liam, Niall and Zayn are a given. But Tristan, really? Then we might as well put Ryan in the lineup too," he snorted.

I rolled my eyes. "Just because I don't really like them as a person doesn't mean they aren't good players. We can't not have them in the lineup only because we don't like them," I told him.

He crossed his arms over his chest. "So you do want Ryan in the lineup?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "He's not a bad player, Louis."

He scoffed, shaking his head. "His ego is so fucking big it drives me mad. He's going to fuck things up on the field if he gets to play."

Looking away from him, I bit my bottom lip. "Coach is not going to like us if we don't put him on the field, Louis. I mean, he must have been captain for a reason, right? He's not a bad player, and therefore, he should get to play."

"I can't believe you're even saying this," he muttered. "I mean, after the way he's been treating you, I thought you would never want him to play."

Honestly, I didn't know why I thought Ryan should be in the lineup either. I didn't like him, and I hated his ego, but that didn't make him a bad player. We needed him on the field to be the greatest we could be.

"It doesn't matter how he treats me. What matters is whether we are going to win or lose the games," I mumbled, still not looking at him.

"So, you don't think we'll win if he's not on the field?"

His words made me snap my eyes to him, and I shook my head. "That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that we should play with our greatest players on the field."

He rolled his eyes. "I still don't like the idea, though."

We fell silent for a while before I spoke up again. "I think this is going to take a while. Do you want something to eat before practice?" I asked, making his eyebrows shoot up.

"Are you really offering me food, Curly, or am I imagining this?" He wondered, squinting his eyes at me.

I let out a chuckle. "Just because we usually bicker with each other doesn't mean I'm rude, Louis. I know I can't go to practice without getting food into my system, though, so it's up to you," I shrugged.

He didn't seem convinced about the fact that I was being serious, so I tried again. "Didn't I take care of you at the party?" When he didn't say anything, I continued. "Yes, I did, which means you should know that I can be kind."

He rolled his eyes. "Alright, fine. What do you have to offer, Curly?"

With a smile on my face, I got up from the couch and walked to the kitchen. Louis followed suit, leaning against the counter while I got out some groceries from the fridge.

"How about some sandwiches?"

"Works for me," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

I made us some ham sandwiches while Louis watched my every move. It honestly made me nervous, so nervous that I almost dropped one of the sandwiches to the floor. Louis noticed this and let out a bark of laughter, covering his mouth with the back of his hand to stifle it.

I pouted my lips while putting the groceries back in the fridge. "You know, I can eat your sandwich too if you're only going to make fun of me."

He raised his eyebrows at me. "I'm not so sure about that. Last time you ate too much, you couldn't even walk. I don't think you're willing to put yourself in that situation again," he winked.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I let out a huff. "Shut up."

We sat down at the table and started eating our sandwiches in silence before Louis spoke up. "So, have you come up with any ideas regarding your party yet?"

I shook my head slowly. "No, not really. But it seems like you care a lot about this party, so do you have any ideas?"

He shrugged his shoulders, a cheeky smile forming on his lips. "Maybe I have a few."

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "Is this because you never had a birthday party of your own?" I couldn't help but ask him.

When he only pursed his lips, I tilted my head to the side. "Alright, so what do you suggest I do for my birthday party, then?"

The cheeky smile returned to his lips. "Well, I think you should start everything off by inviting a lot of people. You can't have a birthday party without any people there. Then, I suggest you rent a facility because not to be rude, but your house is too small for a big party. You should also buy a lot of alcohol, and by a lot, I mean a lot. After that--"

"Alright, alright. I think I get it. There's just one problem, though."

He looked at me as if I had grown a third eye, which caused me to glare at him. "I don't have the money, Louis."

He furrowed his eyebrows together, biting his bottom lip. It took a few seconds until he opened his mouth to reply. "Well, since I never had a birthday party of my own, I am willing to pay for yours. I'm not letting you miss out on it just because you can't afford it."

I wanted to grimace at the fact that I couldn't afford it, but I was too busy trying to handle the feelings that welled up inside me. Louis was willing to pay for my birthday party? No, I must have heard wrong. There was no way he just said that.

"You what?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, it's not like I have an issue with money," he said as if it wasn't a big deal. But it was. It was a huge deal to me.

"I don't know if I can let you do that. I mean, what have I done to deserve that from you? Sure, I took care of you when you got hurt, but it definitely wasn't enough for you to do this for me," I rambled.

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "See it as a birthday present. Plus, I know what it's like to miss out on your eighteenth birthday party. I don't want you to do it as well."

Had I misunderstood Louis all along? Maybe I didn't know him after all these years? Because this person sitting in front of me right now was foreign to me. Louis had never done something like this to me before. Hell, I couldn't even recall that he had done a favor like this to anyone before.

So, how come that had suddenly changed?

"There is just one catch," he said. "If I'm paying for it, you're going to let me help you arrange everything."

_________________________________


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 12**

That was how Louis and I ended up hanging out with each other basically every day after school that following week. If we had practice, we went to my place to discuss things before Louis drove us to the gym. If I had to go to work, he drove me home after school to discuss things with me during the ride. Then he would wait in the car while I got changed before driving me to my job where he dropped me off.

To say I was happy would be an understatement. Louis and I had never spent so much time together before, and although we didn't share the same thoughts all the time and would bicker with each other occasionally, we did have a lot of fun. We mostly just teased each other, which made my heart flutter in my chest every time it happened because I couldn't help but love it. The mere fact that we got along somehow made me all fussy inside.

It was now Thursday, the day before we had planned to have the party, and I was sitting in the car with Louis after school, discussing what alcohol he was going to buy after dropping me off at work. My real birthday wasn't until Sunday, but we figured Friday would be the best day to throw the party on. Everyone was in the mood to go out once the school week was over to celebrate a little.

"So, how many vodka bottles do you think will be necessary?" I wondered, sitting in the passenger seat with Louis' phone in my hands. I was typing everything down so he would be able to check it if he forgot something later on.

"Um, we've invited about sixty people, so you are surely going to need at least fifteen."

When he saw my eyebrows shoot up, he rolled his eyes. "Remember, we are teenagers, Curly. Teenagers are practically alcoholics."

I let out a snort. "Fifteen bottles seem a lot, though. I mean, vodka is one of the things we're going to be serving, not the only one. I think ten will be more than enough," I tried to reason, but he wouldn't have it.

"Look, this is going to be a party that I, Louis Tomlinson, have participated in arranging. We are not skimping on the alcohol. Besides, if it all doesn't go to use, we could just have it on another occasion. There's no harm in buying too much alcohol, but it'll be quite embarrassing if we buy too little," he stated, his gaze on the road.

Alright, maybe he did have a point. It was just the fact that he was paying for everything that made me want to step on the pedal. It just felt wrong to make him pay for everything when it was my party.

"It's just... It feels so wrong, you know? I'm not used to getting all I want and be able to go crazy on buying a lot of stuff, so I guess this is just what I would normally think. Besides, it feels wrong to make you pay for all of this. Everything is going to be so expensive. It already is expensive enough, and we haven't even bought the alcohol yet. We've basically only rented the facility so far," I mumbled.

He rolled his eyes. "Haven't I already told you not to think about that? I have money, Curly. Don't worry about it."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "How can I not think about it when I work every other day to make my own money? Maybe money isn't valuable to you, but it is to me. I cherish every pound I have on my bank account," I huffed.

He went quiet then, gripping the steering wheel tightly. It took at least one minute until he opened his mouth to reply. "Do you know how lucky you are, though? I would switch places with you any day."

Now that caught me off guard. Did he actually know what he was talking about? Who wouldn't want to have so much money that you didn't have to worry about it? "Are you making fun of me?" I asked with a scowl on my face.

He shook his head. "No. No, I'm not."

The tone he was using caught me off guard as well. He sounded so honest that I lost the ability to talk. What could I say? I had no idea what was going on inside his head right now, and I didn't want to say something that would upset him.

Thankfully, we arrived at the diner right then, so I didn't have to come up with something to say. However, to my surprise, Louis pulled over and turned off the car. Usually, he would just pull over at the sidewalk and drop me off, but this time, he parked the car in an empty spot.

I turned to him in confusion. "Wha--"

"I'm hungry," he cut me off with a faint smile on his face while shrugging his shoulders.

His reply made me even more confused. "I thought you were going to buy the alcohol?"

He scrunched his nose up in a way that made my heart race in my chest. "That can wait. I have the entire evening to do that."

I pursed my lips. "Well, then. I'll be in the diner in just a few minutes. I'm just going to go through the backdoor and put on my apron," I smiled before opening the car door and getting out.

When I had shut the door behind me with my back turned to him, I couldn't help the wide grin that broke out on my face. Louis was going to enter the diner while I was there working. As far as I could remember, that had never happened before, and then his family had ordered take away quite a few times in the past. Was it weird that I had butterflies in my stomach?

I greeted Richard quickly once I had shoved my jacket into my locker and switched my shoes. I noticed that Lucas was working the cash register when I entered the diner and decided to stop there considering I knew it was the best place to be when Louis entered the building. I could see the door clearly from here.

"Good afternoon, Lucas," I greeted, the wide grin still prominent on my lips.

My mood caught the blonde-haired guy by surprise. "What's causing that huge smile on your face, my friend? Are you that happy to see me?" He joked while chuckling.

"Of course, Lucas. Who wouldn't be happy to see you?" I smirked, playing along.

He shook his head, clearly amused. "Well, I'm glad then."

I was just about to make another comment when the door was pushed open by the feathery-haired boy I had the honor to call one of my best friends (although I wanted him to be more than that). He was in the action of swiping his brown fringe to the side when his eyes fell on us, a crinkle forming between his eyebrows.

He made his way over, and during every step he took, I could feel my heart beating faster and faster. How did he do that?

"Hello, there. How can I help you?" Lucas asked him politely, even though Louis wasn't paying attention to him. He was too busy looking at me.

"Curly here will help me, won't you?" Louis said, raising his eyebrows at me expectantly.

"I'm sorry, but Harry's job does not incl--"

I cut him off by raising a hand. "It's okay, Lucas. He's a friend," I explained, giving him a smile.

Lucas' mouth formed the shape of an 'o' before he turned back to Louis with a warm smile on his lips. "Well, then. It's nice to meet you..."

"Louis."

Lucas gave him a nod. "I'm Lucas, Harry's co-worker."

Louis looked him up and down quickly before his eyes found their way back to me. "I can see that."

I cleared my throat, sensing the tension in the air. Was Louis usually like this when he met new people? For some reason, I doubted that. This must be an exception.

"So, what would you like, Louis? Some chicken stew maybe? Or the steak?" I wondered, and the muscles in his face visibly relaxed.

"What do you recommend, Curly?" He questioned, wiggling his eyebrows.

I couldn't help but chuckle at his facial expression. "Um, I think I'd say the chicken stew. It's probably the best one I've ever had," I told him truthfully.

His eyebrows shot up. "Oh, it is now? Well, then I should probably choose something else. Something's telling me you have a horrid taste," he teased, making my mouth fall open.

"I do not!" I gasped, turning to Lucas. "Tell Louis I'm not joking about the stew!"

He was amused by my and Louis' conversation. "Well, actually, it's not one of my favorites, but it's not bad," he shrugged, making Louis let out a loud bark of laughter.

"See! I told you so, Curly," he said smugly.

It was hard not to like either of Lucas or Louis, so I knew the two of them would get along if they wanted to. Louis probably just had a hard time warming up to some people, which must be the reason behind his behavior.

I rolled my eyes, placing a hand on my hip. "Alright then. What do you recommend, Lucas?" I asked, raising my eyebrows expectantly at him.

He shrugged his shoulders. "My favorite is the steak with fries and barbecue sauce. You just can't go wrong with that."

Louis nodded his head slowly, seeming impressed. "That's actually true. I think I'll take that one."

I let out a huff, crossing my arms over my chest. Louis noticed this and turned to me with an amused smile on his face. "I'm sorry, Curly. I promise I'll try the chicken stew next time," he smirked.

Next time? Did that mean he was going to eat here again? Or was he talking about the next time his family would order takeaway from here? I couldn't help but hope for the prior.

I pouted my lips as Lucas charged Louis and sent the order to the kitchen. Once Louis had paid for his food, he turned to me again. "So, what table do you suggest I sit, Harold?"

I couldn't help but let my lips form into a smile at the simple fact that he was asking me this question. "I'll show you."

I took him to a table in the corner by the windows. I loved that table because no one really paid attention to it, and that meant you didn't have anyone who stared at you while eating.

"Here it is," I announced, crossing my arms over my chest.

He nodded his head with a thoughtful look on his face. "It's actually not that bad. I like secluded tables."

I smiled to myself, happy that I had managed to please him. "Great. I'll be back with your food in a little bit."

When I made a move to leave, he grabbed my wrist to stop me. Confused, I turned around to face him again. "There aren't that many customers right now. Do you have to go already?" He asked, almost sheepishly.

It took me by surprise. Louis was never that person who was unsure of what he said. However, looking around the diner, I noticed that he was right. So, I shrugged my shoulders and sat down in the seat opposite the one he was about to take. If I needed to go back to work, they would just call me, right? Besides, I wasn't the only waiter working this shift, so I was positive they wouldn't even notice.

"I just don't want to look like a complete fool who's sitting here all by myself, you know?" He grimaced, making my heart sink a little. So, it wasn't because he wanted my company specifically?

I nodded curtly without saying anything.

He took that as a sign to start a new conversation. "So, how come you've never mentioned you have such close friends at work?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at me.

"Um..." I trailed off, biting my bottom lip. "I don't know. Lucas and I aren't that close. We just talk to each other when we are here," I shrugged.

Maybe I hadn't mentioned anything to him because before we started arranging my birthday party, we didn't really speak to each other as we did now. Honestly, mentioning that I had friends at work would have never crossed my mind to tell him back then.

The real question was; would it even have done so now? Because truth be told, I had no idea where Louis and I were standing right now. What level of our friendship were we on? Did we even talk about personal stuff with each other? Not really, so why would it have crossed my mind to tell him about Lucas?

I shook my head to myself, looking down at the surface of the table. I wish things were different. I wish I could tell him anything. I wanted to be able to tell him everything that was going on in my life. I wanted him to know every single detail of it, but no. Louis wasn't interested in having that relationship with me.

"What are you thinking about, Curly?" Louis asked, snapping me back to reality.

I looked up at him, furrowing my eyebrows together. "Nothing," I muttered.

He was quiet for a while, searching my features before letting it drop. "Alright, so Lucas isn't someone you'd want to come to your eighteenth birthday party?"

"I've already invited him."

Louis seemed surprised by this. "Oh, and you didn't think of mentioning that to me either?" He huffed. "Is there anyone else you've invited that I don't know of, huh?"

I rolled my eyes. "Last time I checked, it's my birthday party. Don't I get to decide who's going to be there then?"

He muttered something under his breath as he averted his gaze. "I just thought since I'm helping you arrange the whole thing that I should be informed of how many people there are going to be there. Don't you agree with that?"

I looked down at the surface of the table, secretly wondering why this mattered so much to him. Why did he care that I had invited someone that I hadn't told him about? It wasn't like it was going to make a difference anyway.

"It's just Lucas I have invited apart from the other ones, so you don't really have anything to worry about," I told him, looking him in the eyes.

With that said, I got up from the chair, knowing that his food was going to be ready any minute now. "I'll be back with your food in a sec."

When I got back to Lucas at the counter, he turned to me. "You and Louis fighting over something?" He wondered, nodding in the direction of the mentioned boy. He was now sitting with his phone in his hands, typing away on it.

I shook my head. "No. Things are just... complicated."

Lucas hummed. "How so?"

Letting out a sigh, I turned to look at him. "It's hard to explain. I don't think I could even if I tried," I grimaced.

A small smile made its way to his face then. "I see."

There was something about his smile that told me he suspected something. I didn't have time to question him about it, though, because right then, I was called to the kitchen.

Richard handed me Louis' food along with another plate with some fried chicken and fries. I took them and went back to the diner to serve the chicken and fries first before walking over to Louis, who was still typing on his phone.

"Bon appetite!"

Louis looked up from his device, locking eyes with me for a second before taking a look at the food in front of him. "Hmm, looks nice," he mumbled, placing his phone on the table.

I was about to walk away from him when he stopped me this time as well. "I'm buying the alcohol after this, then I'll come back to drive you home once you get off your shift. Alright, Curly?"

My eyes widened in shock. Was he being serious?

"Uh, sure."

"Great," he smiled.

____________________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the chapters will be published when they've been edited. If you want to continue reading already, the rest of the story is up on my Wattpad account: @ Larrys_Girl.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 13**

Once Louis had dropped me off at home later that evening, the first thing I noticed when I entered the house was that Gemma was in the living room. She had her legs propped up on the coffee table just like the last time, but she had a bowl of popcorn on her lap now as well.

The second she saw me in the doorway, she grabbed the TV-remote and pressed pause. "Baby brother, come sit for a sec," she ordered, patting the couch beside her.

"I'm not a baby, Gems," I muttered, rolling my eyes. However, I did as she said anyway and walked over to sit down beside her. "As a matter of fact, I'm turning eighteen in three days."

She tilted her head to the side. "You'll always be my baby, though," she smiled.

I pouted my lips, making her chuckle. "On another note," she said, clearing her throat. "I've noticed that Louis' been around a lot lately."

I could feel how every muscle in my body froze to ice, and I instantly went rigid. "He has?" I chuckled dryly, playing dumb.

She snorted, shaking her head. "Yeah? I mean, sure, he's one of your best friends, but I never thought you spent so much time with him just the two of you. It's always been Niall you hang around with when the other boys aren't here as well."

"He's been helping me arrange my birthday party," I explained, feeling how my body relaxed by the second because I could tell her the truth this time without having to lie about it. Usually, I always had to dodge it whenever Louis was brought up in our conversations because I didn't want her to find out about my feelings for him.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, really? How come Louis' helping you out of all people? I didn't think you were that close. I mean, sure, you took care of him after that party, but I thought that was just a one-time thing?"

She was right. We weren't that close, but that didn't mean I didn't want us to be.

I shrugged my shoulders. "He offered to help me one day. I think it's mostly because he never had a party of his own when he turned eighteen."

To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure why he offered to help me with my party this much. I mean, he was paying for everything, and he literally didn't get anything in return except for helping me arrange it. He must be so delighted.

However, he did mention that he didn't want me to miss out on my eighteenth birthday party since he knew what it felt like to do so. Who knew, maybe the main reason was that he was simply empathetic?

"That's nice of him. I've always had a feeling he's a great guy," she smiled warmly.

"He is," I said, and I couldn't help but let my lips curl into a smile of my own.

"So, when is this party, and why haven't you mentioned anything about it to me?" She wanted to know, raising her eyebrows at me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's tomorrow, but I don't really find it a big deal, which is why I haven't mentioned anything, I guess. Sure, it's my eighteenth birthday, but I haven't really put too much thought into it," I explained.

"You're not excited about it. Is that what you're trying to say?"

I pulled my eyebrows together, shaking my head. "No. I am excited. I'm actually very excited, especially now after Louis' help. I don't think I would have ever come near a party like this if it weren't for him. I guess the reason I pushed it to the side before he offered to help was just that I don't look forward to being the center of attention, and I don't want people to feel like they have to celebrate me," I grimaced.

Plus, I didn't want to witness Louis being with yet another girl, but I decided to leave that part out.

She tilted her head to the side, shaking her head with a smile on her face. "You're putting yourself down, H. I'm sure there are a lot of people who want to celebrate you. I get what you mean, though. We've been taught not to be full of ourselves. Mom made sure we would never become stuck up assholes, but in this case, I think you should serve yourself, H. You deserve to have a big party and be the center of it. People want to be there for you because even if you might not believe it, I'm sure you have a lot of people caring about you."

I bit my bottom lip, looking away from her. Maybe she was right. Maybe I should serve myself and let myself be in the center without feeling weird about it. You only turned eighteen once after all, and if people didn't want to be there for me, they wouldn't show up, right? And so what if Louis was going to find a girl to play around with? I had seen that before, and I wasn't going to let it bother me. Not tomorrow.

"You may be right," I mumbled, my eyes finding hers again.

"I know I am," she smirked, patting me on the thigh. "Besides, Louis has helped you arrange this party, so you should not let him down."

The corner of my lips twitched. "I won't."

\-----

During the lunch break the next day, the lads and I were sitting at a table in the cafeteria, chatting away like usual. Only today, the main topic was my party that I was throwing this evening. Alice was there as well, along with the blonde girl who had seemed to find a strong liking of Louis. I could tell because this wasn't the first time she had tried flirting with him, and she was literally sitting as close to him as possible, their arms even brushing together.

It was bugging me, even after my attempts at trying to persuade myself into thinking that seeing Louis with another girl wasn't going to bother me today. The plan was already backfiring, and the party hadn't even started yet. I was telling myself that I was not going to let it bother me tonight, though.

At the moment, however, it was bugging me so much that I couldn't take my eyes off of them, even if the lads were talking about my party. Honestly, it was difficult to grasp what they were saying specifically because the only thing I could focus on was Louis and that girl.

"So, who's going to be there tonight, Harry?" Zayn asked, his eyes directed at me.

I averted my gaze from the two of them to look at Zayn. "Um, I have invited the guys on the soccer team and quite a lot of other people," I replied.

"Are there going to be a lot of girls?" Niall asked excitedly, making me want to roll my eyes.

I didn't know what made me do what I did next, but I wanted to take Louis' attention away from that girl, so what came out of my mouth wasn't really thought-through. "I don't know. Louis, have we invited a lot of girls?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at the feathery-haired guy questioningly.

Louis snapped his head to us at the mention of his name, his eyes widening slightly when he noticed I had revealed the fact that he was involved in the arrangement of the party.

We hadn't told any of the boys about this. They didn't even know that we had been hanging out after school the entire week. They only thought Louis had driven me home to drop me off, not to hang out, and that fact alone had made Niall suspicious.

"Louis?" "We?" Niall and Liam let out in unison, and they exchanged surprised looks together with Zayn. Alice looked a bit surprised as well.

Louis flashed me a pointed look, and I could tell he wondered why I had mentioned it now when we hadn't brought it up during the entire week. I didn't have anything to hide, though. So what if the guys found out Louis had helped me arrange the party? They were probably going to find out about it anyway. Besides, what did we have to hide?

"Um, yeah. I've helped Curly here arrange the party," Louis shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal.

Niall's mouth fell open, and so did Liam's.

"You mean that you guys have managed to arrange something together without getting on each other's nerves? Is that even possible?" Zayn asked incredulously.

I rolled my eyes at his comment, but before I could reply to him, Niall beat me to it. "Why would you even want to help him arrange it? I mean, not to be rude or anything, but I didn't think you were that close?" He asked Louis.

"Why not?" Louis asked, knitting his eyebrows together. "It seemed like Harold here wasn't about to start preparing the party, so I thought I might as well help him get started. Then I ended up helping him arrange the whole thing," he explained.

I didn't know why he decided not to tell the entire truth, but I didn't question him about it. Maybe he just didn't want to bring up everything about his own birthday party that never took place? I mean, I knew he didn't want to seem weak in front of other people, and feeling sad about missing out on a birthday party might seem weak.

They were still shocked when I turned to Louis, raising my eyebrows at him. "You never answered my question."

He let out a chuckle, turning to the blonde girl sitting beside him for a second before looking back at me. "You know just as well as I that we have invited quite a lot of girls now, don't you, Curly?"

And here I was, hoping that my question was going to take his attention away from that blondie. It wasn't working very well, it seemed. With a huff, I crossed my arms over my chest, ignoring the big smirk on Louis' face.

"I'm still shocked by the fact that you managed to arrange something together without hating on one another," Zayn said, shaking his head in disbelief.

It seemed like Niall's interest in how many girls there were going to be at the party had slipped his mind because he nodded his head in agreement.

"That, and that they managed to do the whole thing without one of them calling it quits along the way."

\-----

Louis and I went to the facility as soon as we had finished school. The lads had yet again shaken their heads in disbelief when we left school together, this time knowing that the two of us were going to spend time with one another.

Honestly, I thought they were exaggerating. I never really got mad at Louis, even if we bickered sometimes. It was all just fun and games, nothing serious. So, I didn't understand why they were so shocked by the fact that we had managed to arrange the party together. Maybe they had different opinions on our relationship than I did.

As soon as Louis had parked the car outside the big, white building that was located in the center of the town, we got out to walk over to the big, black door. It was still cold outside, being late January and all, but it was manageable. The ground wasn't covered in slush as it had been the first day of school, but a white layer of snow was covering it beautifully again.

Louis reached into the pocket of his black jeans to get out the key we had received from the owner of the facility. He then fit it in the lock and turned it. The second he yanked the door open, a big room with long tables and a crazy amount of chairs made of wood was revealed. There was even a stage in there, right in front of the tables.

My eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, this is amazing!" I breathed.

Louis had a smug smile on his face when I turned to look at him, his arms crossed over his chest. "I've been to a wedding party here once, so I knew what it had to offer."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at that. Of course he knew what he was getting into when he decided this was the facility he was going to rent. He would never choose a place he didn't know anything about.

"I'm not surprised about that."

He tilted his head to the side, raising his eyebrows at me. "Why's that?"

I shook my head with a grin on my face. "You'd never just choose any facility. You would make sure it'll live up to your standards," I chuckled.

He pursed his lips. "Well, we can't throw a party in a shit hole, now can we?"

I rolled my eyes again, taking a step inside the building. To my surprise, Louis placed a hand between my shoulder blades to guide me forward. The gesture caught me off guard although I knew it didn't mean the same thing to him as it did to me. It even made me halt in my steps, which resulted in me having to force muscles to start working again in case I didn't want him to notice anything. Nothing could stop my heart from racing, though.

He showed me the kitchen that was on the left side of the building, telling me where we should keep the alcohol and snacks. He also showed me where the toilets were before turning to me with a smile on his face. "Now, all we have to do is make this look like a place where it's going to be a party, and not just some big, boring room."

I nodded my head in agreement. "Let's do this."

Thankfully, Louis had already bought the decorations, which he kept in his car, so he went out to go fetch them. Meanwhile, I took another look around the room. I couldn't understand why Louis wanted to do this for me. It was so hard to believe because I had never had anyone do something like this for me before, so the fact that it was him out of all people made it feel like I was dreaming. It was just surreal, like a dream come true.

"Alright, Curly. Let's get started!"

\-----

It took an hour for us until we were finished decorating the place, but hell, it was worth it because it really looked like someone was arranging a party in here now. There were lights, there were glasses, there were silver balloons, bowls, snacks and more.

"I'll just have to pick up the cake on my way back here later," Louis smiled smugly.

"Cake?" I asked, turning to him in confusion. We hadn't spoken about a cake when we had discussed the party.

He rolled his eyes. "We can't have a birthday party without a cake, duh," he said matter-of-factly.

I shook my head, letting out a sigh. "This is already too much, Louis. I can't believe you wanted to throw your money on all this in the first place."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "As I said, Curly, money is not an issue for me. Besides, I can't have you miss out on your eighteenth birthday party because of the lack of money," he explained. "And, I didn't expect I would say this, but it's actually been quite fun arranging this party with you. At first, I kind of wanted to come up with all the ideas myself, but I'm happy it turned out like this. It honestly feels like this is partly my birthday party as well."

I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips. "I'm glad you feel that way, and I'm sorry you never had the opportunity to celebrate your own birthday like this," I grimaced.

He waved a hand in dismissal, although I could see that it was bothering him. "Don't think about it. Let's just party like we never have before. I think we both deserve it."

I nodded my head, feeling how a thought slowly came to mind, and I was suddenly smirking at him. "Just make sure you don't drink too much, though. We wouldn't want you to fall and hit your head again now, would we?" I said, raising my eyebrows at him in a joking manner.

He instantly caught on, shaking his head in amusement. "Make sure you don't eat too much of those snacks, then. I don't really feel like carrying you home in the middle of the night just because you're too full to walk, alright?" He winked, making my mouth fall open.

How did he always manage to have the last word and make me speechless? It was a mystery to me, and I did not like it. Not one bit.

_________________________________


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 14**

I was standing in front of my mirror, examining myself when Gemma burst through the door. I turned to her abruptly, my mouth falling open. "Gemma, you can't just barge in like that!" I gasped. "I could've been naked for all I know!"

She rolled her eyes, placing a hand on her hip. "Are you ready?" She asked, ignoring what I just said completely.

I took a look at my reflection in the mirror again. I was wearing another black button-up than the one I had at Emily's party along with a pair of black, skinny jeans that were ripped at the knees. I had my black boots on my feet, and my curls were hanging loosely down the sides of my face, reaching just below my earlobes.

"Yup, I'm ready."

I could see her tilting her head to the side skeptically through the mirror. "No, you're not. You are not wearing that to your eighteenth birthday party."

I looked down at my outfit before looking back at her with a frown on my face. "What's wrong with this?"

She just shook her head, walking over to my closet. "This is your party, Harry, not anyone else's. You're going to be the center of attention tonight, so you can't wear plain black," she explained. "Here."

She tossed me a polka dot marron button-up shirt. "It's not the best, but it's better than the black one," she confirmed, crossing her arms over her chest.

I rolled my eyes at her dominant manner as I unbuttoned the black shirt I was wearing. Once I had switched it to the polka dot button-up, I turned to her again, spreading my arms out. "Is this okay, then?"

A smile formed on her lips as she nodded her head. "Yep, much better. You look hot, brother."

I let out a snort, turning around to look at myself in the mirror again. "I really don't, and you should stop with your incest comments. It's kind of creepy, you know?"

She let out a loud bark of laughter. "Oh, shut up. You know you love it," she winked, making me roll my eyes.

"Can you drive me to the party now? The lads are probably waiting for me to get there."

Louis, Liam, Zayn and Niall were supposed to show up about an hour before all the guests were invited. We wanted to have a small get-together with just the five of us before the real party started.

"Sure."

The second Gemma and I were sitting in her car and she had pulled out of the driveway, she turned to me with a small smile on her face. "So, is there anyone specific you're trying to impress tonight?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

I was a bit confused by her question, so I decided to joke it off. "You're acting like a mom to her ten-year-old child," I commented, making us both burst out into laughter for a couple of seconds.

When we had calmed down, she shook her head. "Alright, maybe I was being a little childish, but I am genuinely curious. Is there anyone you like at the moment?"

I couldn't help but swallow hard. I wasn't expecting her to ask me that question. "Um, there might be someone, but I'm not telling you more than that."

Her mouth fell open in both shock and disappointment. "I can't believe you haven't told me about it! Why can't I know who it is?"

Because you would tell him about it either intentionally or accidentally.

"Because I want to keep it a secret. It's never going to be us anyway," I said, trying to make it seem like it didn't matter to me by shrugging my shoulders. It did matter, though. I really wanted me and Louis to be together, even if it was never going to happen.

She furrowed her eyebrows together. "How can you be so sure about that?"

I didn't know how to answer her without saying too much, so I just stuck to something simple. "It's just someone I am sure will never be attracted to me."

Gemma let out a snort. "Impossible. You're putting yourself down again, H. I'm sure that whoever the person is will find it hard not to like you if you just show them how you feel," she promised me.

I bit my bottom lip, looking out the window without saying anything. When she noticed that I wasn't going to reply, she opened her mouth to speak again. "Can I ask if it's a girl or a boy?"

When I turned to look at her, I could see that she had knitted her eyebrows together as if she was thinking deeply about something. With a sigh, I looked down at my lap. "It's a guy, and he's straight. So, now you know," I confessed, avoiding her gaze.

She was quiet for a while, still thinking deeply, I assumed. However, her silence made me nervous, so nervous that I was fiddling with my fingers on my lap while patiently waiting for her to say something, anything about what I had just admitted.

"You know, even the straightest people are a little bit gay. Haven't you heard of that?" She asked me, and through the corner of my eye, I could see her looking at me with a smile on her face.

Her attempt at lightening the mood succeeded because I could feel the corners of my lips twitching at her words. I shook my head, a little chuckle escaping my lips. "I have heard of it, but I don't think it's true."

She let out a snort. "I'm sure that anyone can be a little bit gay for you, though, H. Something's telling me you're quite irresistible."

For some reason, her words made me laugh. "You seriously have to stop with those incest comments, Gems. You really are making me uncomfortable."

\-----

When we arrived at the facility, Louis, Zayn, Liam and Niall were already there, waiting for me. By the looks of it, they hadn't been there for too long, though, because otherwise, they would be freezing their asses off right now. It was pretty cold outside, after all.

The second Gemma stopped the car, I said goodbye to her before getting out. The lads turned to me when I had shut the door behind me, wide smiles breaking out on their faces.

"Happy birthday!" Niall exclaimed, being the first one to take a step forward and wrap his arms around me.

I rolled my eyes at the comment. "It's not my birthday, Niall. Besides, you have already met me today," I chuckled, reciprocating the hug.

When we pulled away, he flashed me a crooked smile. "We're still celebrating you today, though, so might as well call it your birthday," he shrugged.

I shook my head to myself, the corners of my lips twitching. My eyes then fell to the other lads who were waiting to greet me as well. It honestly felt a little weird having so much attention directed at me already. I wasn't used to it. Well, at least not when it came to my closest friends.

Once I had hugged Liam and Zayn, I turned to Louis who had a smirk on his face, which didn't really surprise me. "What are you smirking at?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at him.

He was dressed in a pair of blue jeans along with a tight, grey button-up with black dots that was unfolded at the sleeves. His hair was perfectly swept to the side, making him look really, fucking hot. I just wanted to go over and bury my hands in his hair and-- No, that was not going to happen.

Louis shook his head, letting out a little laugh. "I see you made it."

I placed my hand on my hip, sticking it out. "Of course I did," I said, flicking my hair nonchalantly.

All of them laughed at me, Louis' smile widening.

"It seems like you actually did manage to fix this party together. I'm beyond proud of you," Zayn commented, looking between me and Louis impressively.

Louis decided to wrap his arm around my shoulders, bringing me close to his side. I tried my best to act normal about it, although my heart instantly started racing in my chest. Let's not begin speaking of the way goosebumps rose on my skin. I was so gone for this boy that it wasn't even funny. "I did most of it, though, didn't I, Curly?" He teased, looking at me with feigned expectancy.

I rolled my eyes at him. "It may have been your plan to do it all by yourself, but I didn't let you," I smirked, making him let out a loud bark of laughter.

He turned to the other guys, shaking his head. "If Harry had gotten to decide, we would be running out on alcohol in like an hour, no doubt about it. There wouldn't be these many people attending either, I'm sure," he pointed out.

There wouldn't even be a party without his help. He was paying for everything, after all. If I had arranged it all by myself, we would have been at my house, which in itself would have resulted in fewer people and less alcohol, so he was right. I wasn't going to give it to him, though.

The lads seemed amused by my and Louis' banter because they were all smiling at us.

"Heeey, I'm not used to throwing big parties, is all," I whined, sticking my bottom lip out in a pout.

Louis tapped my shoulder lightly. "It's okay, Curly. I was here to help you," he joked, making the corners of my lips twitch.

The fact that he was standing so close made it easy for me to get lost inside his blue irises. I loved his eyes. They were just the perfect shade of blue, and they were framed by these long, golden eyelashes. I could look into his eyes for an entire day without getting tired of it.

"Alright, shall we go inside?" Liam suggested, nodding his head towards the grey door. "It's freezing out here."

We all agreed and started making our way towards the entrance. Sadly, Louis dropped his arm from my shoulders, leaving me colder than I already was. I tried not to think too much about it, though. This night was supposed to be one of the greatest nights of my life, and I was not going to let anything ruin that.

I turned the door handle, preparing myself to see the huge, decorated room. However, what I was met with caught me completely off guard.

"Happy birthday, Harry!"

Everyone was already here, gathered right in front of me. They were all smiling as they shouted out the greeting, their arms thrown in the air. I was so shocked that I almost fell backward. If it weren't for someone catching me, I would have. I couldn't believe my eyes. Were they all here because of me?

The feeling that exploded in my chest couldn't be described. I mean, this was probably the greatest thing I had ever experienced. "Oh my God," I breathed, reaching my hand up to cover my mouth in shock.

I could feel a pat on my back before people started walking forward to greet me personally. They hugged me, laughing when they saw my face.

"You didn't expect this, did you?" Lucas smiled at me when he walked over to greet me.

I shook my head, looking behind me to see if the guys were still there. They were, but they were busy talking to other people. "Did they plan this?" I asked, and Lucas nodded his head.

"Yeah. I don't know whose idea it was, but I'm positive Louis was the one who spread the word around. He helped you arrange all this, didn't he?"

I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips. "Yeah, he did."

Was that why Louis wanted to know what people were invited to the party? So he could inform them that they were going to surprise me?

Before Lucas could say anything else, I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Took you by surprise, didn't it?" Louis smiled, raising his eyebrows at me in amusement.

"It sure did. Was it your idea?" I couldn't help but ask. I really wanted to know this for some reason.

He tilted his head to the side. "Yup, it was. My idea, and my idea only," he said proudly, making me chuckle. It also made my heart swell because damn, he had done all this for me? That fact made butterflies erupt in my stomach.

"I'll see you around, Curly," he smiled before dropping his hand and walking away.

I turned back to Lucas who was looking in the direction Louis just disappeared. "He really cares about you, doesn't he?"

I could feel my cheeks heat up as I shook my head. "No. I'm sure it was all just to make the party as great as possible."

Lucas raised his eyebrows at me for a few seconds before shrugging it off. "You want to go find something to drink?" He asked, changing the topic.

A smile formed on my lips. "Sure."

Louis and I had pushed the long tables to the walls so the dance floor would take up most of the room, which was a good thing because damn, there were really a lot of people in here. I also noticed that it was a good thing that I had helped set it all up because now I knew exactly where the drinks were, so I didn't have to search for them.

Did we really invite all these people? I wasn't sure if I even knew these many teenagers. Louis must have invited people that I didn't even know.

On our way to the table, someone grabbed my hand from behind, making me halt in my steps. Lucas, who was walking on my other side stopped as well, and we both turned around to face the person.

"Happy birthday, Harry!" Evelyn beamed, not hesitating to bring me in for a tight hug. It didn't last too long, though.

My lips formed a smile at the sight of her. "Thank you, Evelyn. I'm glad you could come," I told her honestly. Zayn's words about her liking me entered my mind, but I decided not to care about it. She was sweet, and as long as I made it obvious that I didn't have feelings for her, there was nothing to worry about, right?

"Well, of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world," she said, tilting her head to the side.

It wasn't until then she noticed I wasn't alone. Her eyes found Lucas but only stayed on him for a few seconds until she was looking at me again. "Who's your friend?" She asked.

Lucas being the outgoing person that he was, extended a hand for her to shake. "Lucas," he greeted, a smile breaking out on his face.

Evelyn's eyebrows furrowed as she looked down at his hand before taking it in hers hesitantly. "Evelyn," she replied, looking at me in confusion.

I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Lucas is my co-worker," I explained, throwing an arm around his narrow shoulders.

Her mouth formed the shape of an 'o', the puzzle pieces falling into place in her head, I assumed. "Nice to meet you," she grinned at Lucas, who nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"Likewise."

Lucas then flicked his gaze between the two of us. "And the two of you...?" He trailed off with a questioning look on his face.

"Oh," I said, feeling stupid that I didn't introduce him to Evelyn in return. "Evelyn and I know each other from school. She's also friends with my best friend's girlfriend," I explained.

"Louis?" Lucas asked in confusion.

I shook my head vigorously, feeling my cheeks heat up a little. "No. Uh, my other friend, Liam."

His features turned into a look of realization. "Oh, I see. Didn't think of the fact that you might have more than one best friend," he chuckled, shaking his head as if he was being stupid.

I patted him on the shoulder before dropping my arm from him. "It's okay, Lucas," I joked.

When I turned to Evelyn, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Do you want to go get something to drink? We were just heading to the table," I asked, raising my eyebrows at her questioningly.

A bright smile formed on her lips as she nodded her head. "Sure."

That was how I found myself enjoying the night together with two people I liked. Evelyn was such a sweet and nice girl who you couldn't help but laugh and have fun with, and Lucas was just Lucas. Being bored didn't exist when you were around him.

I was clutching my stomach from laughing so hard probably an hour later - I didn't keep track of time - in a more secluded place in the building that was now echoing with music. It was pretty safe to say that I was intoxicated. I had downed at least four cans of beer, two vodka shots and one tequila. Maybe it wasn't that much, but I was a lightweight, I would admit that.

"Alright, everybody!" A voice suddenly spoke up, the music dying down in a matter of seconds.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I tried to look for the source of the voice. It didn't take long until I saw none other than Louis standing on the stage, talking to everyone in the room.

"I think it's time to sing for the birthday boy, don't you agree?"

My eyes widened in shock, my mouth falling open. Sing? For me? No. He must be kidding.

"Curly, where are you?"

And suddenly the lights were on me, and so was everyone's attention. I instantly felt my cheeks heat up, my heart beginning to pound in my chest. Why was he doing this to me?

The second his eyes fell on me, I suddenly found it hard to breathe. The way his lips turned into that beautiful smile that made the crinkles by his eyes appear... I wanted to go up there and kiss him. God, I wanted it so badly that I had to force my feet not to move.

However, the second he started singing and got all the other people in the building to join him, the thought left my mind and was replaced by a feeling of embarrassment. I really didn't like having so many people looking at me at the same time.

I breathed out a sigh of relief when it was over, turning to take a large gulp of my opened can of beer. I needed more alcohol, and that was now.

It didn't take long until I could feel someone throwing their arms around my neck from behind, bringing me to their chest. I knew it could only be one person.

"Harry, my man! I haven't seen you in ages!" Niall called out, turning me around in his hold so I was facing him.

My lips twitched into a smile. "Heeeey."

"Are you feeling eighteen yet?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows. There was no denying that he was drunk. He turned even more outgoing than he usually was whenever he had gotten alcohol into his system.

I rolled my eyes. "I thought we were over this, Niall. My birthday isn't until Sunday."

He waved a hand in dismissal. "You at least got something to drink? You look way too sober, mate," he accused me, pointing a finger at my chest.

Letting out a chuckle, I nodded my head. "I'm great. Thank you for caring, though," I chuckled, making him huff.

He shook his head, taking a hold of my upper arm. "We're taking shots together. I am not letting you be this sober on your eighteenth birthday."

I let out a loud laugh, following him to the table of drinks. I didn't know if Evelyn and Lucas were following or if they left, but at the moment, I didn't really care. I was happy to spend some time with Niall.

Three tequila shots later, I knew that I was definitely intoxicated. My vision was blurry, and I couldn't walk straight even if I wanted to. "Now we're talking!" Niall let out, patting me on the shoulder proudly.

Once he left to probably go find some girl to hook up with, I got this sudden urge that I wanted to talk to Louis. I hadn't talked to him since we got here, and that was a long time ago. I wanted to confront him about the singing, and I wanted to hug him and kiss him and--

I started making my way through the crowd of people, almost falling into them in the process because I was not stable. At all. Some of them even grabbed a hold of my arm to save me from falling, but that didn't make me stop. My eyes searched the room, trying to get a glimpse of the feathery-haired boy. Unfortunately, being drunk didn't exactly help with that.

It took at least ten minutes until I finally caught sight of him, but I wished I didn't because he wasn't alone. He was in one of the corners of the room, pressing that blonde girl who had been flirting with him during lunch for over a week now. That wasn't the only thing, though. They were making out. Her arms were around his neck with her fingers in his hair, and his hands were under the back of her top, tracing her skin.

The sight made a knot form in my stomach, and I instantly wanted to look away, but I somehow found it impossible. My gaze was glued to them.

"Harry, there you are!"

It was the sound of Lucas' voice that finally made me tear my eyes off the two kissing people, and I didn't hesitate to grab a hold of his upper arm. He flashed me a look of surprise when I started pulling him forward.

It wasn't easy to drag him with me since I couldn't walk straight, but eventually, we finally got to the kitchen. I shut the door behind us and instantly pressed him against the wall. His eyes widened in surprise once again.

"Harry, wha--"

I didn't let him finish that sentence because right then, I leaned in to crash my lips against his, shutting him up completely. He let out a gasp - probably not expecting me to kiss him - but relaxed in a matter of seconds and reached his arms out to bring me closer to him.

To be completely honest, I had no idea what I was doing. I only knew one thing, and it was that the plan of not letting Louis's actions get to me tonight had flown right out the window. I was bothered, beyond bothered. I just wanted to get the image of the two of them kissing out of my head, and that was now. I needed a distraction, and Lucas was the perfect distraction.

I didn't know if I was imagining it because I was too busy thinking about everything that was going on at the moment to acknowledge my surroundings, but the sound of a door shutting hit my eardrums.

I was probably imagining it, though. I was drunk, after all. Way too fucking drunk.

_____________________________


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 15**

I woke up the next day with a killer headache. Honestly, I didn't want to open my eyes because I knew that it was only going to make matters worse. So instead, I let out a groan and rolled over to the other side of the bed, hugging the blankets closer to me.

"Harry, sweety. Are you awake? It's one in the afternoon." If I opened my eyes, I was sure mom was going to be standing behind my door, poking her head inside the room.

On another note, I was surprised that it was already lunchtime. Had I really slept for that long? "No, 'm not," I muttered, burying my face in my pillow.

I could practically see her rolling her eyes at me. "How much did you have to drink last night, honey?" She sighed, walking into the room. I could tell by the sound of her footsteps and also by the sound of the door clicking shut.

The mattress sank down at my feet, indicating that she was now sitting at the end of my bed. The fact made me let out another groan. "Mooom, can't you just leave me alone? I wanna sleep."

"I want to talk to you."

The seriousness in her voice caught me off guard. It made me furrow my eyebrows together and slowly peek an eye open. She was sitting at my feet - as expected, her legs crossed while looking down at my figure with her lips pressed together.

"What is it?" I asked, reaching up to rub the sleep from my eyes.

She didn't start talking until I was sitting up against the headboard, both of my eyes open and directed at her. "Do you remember anything that happened last night?" She wondered.

Her question made me even more confused because truth be told, I didn't remember much at all. I did recall Louis getting everyone to sing for me and Niall coming over to do shots, but that was about it. Everything after that was blank.

The look on my face probably spoke for itself because she shook her head disapprovingly. "Do you know that Liam brought you home last night? Or more like in the morning. It was three am, and you couldn't even walk by yourself."

I bit my bottom lip, scrunching my nose up. Was that true? I mean, I didn't remember anything that happened after doing those shots with Niall, so it could be. Shit, I wondered if I had done something I was going to regret.

The disapproving look on her face didn't falter as she shook her head. "I'm not proud of you, Harry. We both know that I raised you better than this. I thought you were responsible, but I guess I was wrong," she said in disappointment, averting her gaze.

I felt a knot form in my stomach by her words. If there was something I hated, it was disappointing my mom, and that was exactly what I had done last night. It was my birthday party and all, but I had crossed the line. It was something that rarely happened, but apparently, yesterday was an exception.

"I'm sorry, mom," I mumbled, looking down at the blankets.

She let out a sigh, turning to look at me again. "I know it was your birthday party, and I am happy that you seemed to enjoy yourself, but anything can happen to you if you drink so much that you don't know what you're doing, alright? I am not lecturing you or anything, I'm just trying to look out for you."

I grimaced at her words, nodding my head. "I know. It was stupid of me. I just got carried away, I guess."

She flashed me a small smile. "I get that. I was young and stupid once in my life too, you know?" She chuckled lightly. "I just don't want you to do things that you'll regret, yeah?"

I nodded my head again, feeling how my skull was literally pounding against my forehead. "Shit," I muttered, reaching up to rub the throbbing spot.

Mom flashed me a look of concern. "I'll get you some pain killers and a glass of water. I'll be back in a minute," she said, getting up from the bed to leave the room.

Meanwhile, I reached out to grab my phone from my nightstand, noticing that I hadn't put it to charge last night. Great, only five percent left. However, that wasn't the first thing that caught my attention. I had received quite a few messages, and they were all from the same person.

Lucas?

Narrowing my eyes to get a better view of the screen, I tried reading what they said. The throbbing in my head made it difficult, though, so I eventually decided to unlock my phone to see if that would make it easier to read the messages.

Lucas: I'm so sorry about what happened yesterday, please don't hate me!

Lucas: Harry?

Lucas: It wasn't supposed to happen, I swear, but you pulled me in and I couldn't stop, fuck.

Lucas: Do you hate me?

Lucas: I guess I'll see you at work on Tuesday...

What was he talking about? What did he mean by 'you pulled me in and I couldn't stop'? And why did he think I hated him? As far as I knew, we had just hung around and had a couple of drinks together with Evelyn yesterday.

Hold on for a second.

After doing those shots with Niall, I went to search for Louis, didn't I? And when I finally found him, he was making out with that blonde girl who had been flirting with him for two weeks now. Then I could swear someone had called my name. Was it Lucas?

Then it hit me like a slap in the face. I kissed him. I was so upset about witnessing Louis kissing that girl that I had just lost it. Fuck.

Running a hand over my face, I let out the loudest groan yet. What the hell was I going to do?

Before I could think more about it, mom entered the room again. This time, she was holding a glass of water in one hand and two Advils in the other. She was just about to hand them to me when she saw the look on my face. "Did something happen?" She asked, her eyes widening slightly.

I squeezed my eyes shut, shaking my head. "You were right, mom. I definitely should have been more responsible last night."

She furrowed her eyebrows together, sitting down on the edge of my bed before finally handing me the glass of water and the pills. I took them, popped the Advils into my mouth, and swallowed them down with the water. I downed the whole thing.

"Did you just remember something?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

I nodded my head, letting out a sigh as I ran a hand through my curly mess on top of my head. "I hope things will be okay, though."

She flashed me a small smile. "As long as you didn't get anyone pregnant, sleep with someone that's already in a relationship, or murder anyone, I'm sure you'll be okay," she joked in an attempt to lighten the mood. It worked.

The corners of my lips twitched at her words, and I shook my head as a chuckle escaped my lips. "I think I'll be fine then."

"Good," she smiled, taking the glass from my hand.

She was just about to leave the room when she stopped at the doorframe to turn around and face me again. "Do you have anything planned for your birthday tomorrow?"

I pursed my lips, shrugging my shoulders. "The lads and I have been talking about going out to eat somewhere, why?"

She shook her head, the smile never leaving her face. "I just wanted to know that you won't be spending the day alone since I have a shift tomorrow," she explained and didn't wait for an answer before continuing. "You coming down to watch a movie with me later? Something's telling me this is going to be a day where you'll be staying inside. Might as well spend some time with your moma then, yeah?"

I let out a chuckle. "As long as you promise to massage my scalp and card your fingers through my hair, then yeah, I'm definitely in."

\-----

The day turned out just like mom expected it to. I didn't step out of the house, and I spent the entire afternoon watching movies with her. It was actually nice. I enjoyed spending time with her because believe it or not, but we were very alike. We had the same sense of humor and it was easy to just talk to her. Now, I didn't tell her everything that was going on in my life because of obvious reasons, but I knew I easily could if I wanted to.

It was now Sunday, and I was preparing myself to go out with the lads. It was almost lunchtime, and we had decided to go to the best burger place in town. It was everyone's favorite, especially mine, and since it was my birthday, I got to decide.

Since Louis was still the only one out of the five of us who had gotten his driver's license, he was picking us all up. Liam and Zayn lived in the same area as him, so I knew it was going to take a while until they would be here, which was why I still hadn't gotten changed. I was working on it, though.

Looking through my closet, I let my fingers wander over my button-ups and shirts until they stopped at a red, checkered material. I grabbed the button-up from the hanger and put it on, leaving the three top buttons undone. I then ruffled my curls in an attempt to make them not stick out in every direction before pulling my black, skinny jeans that were ripped at the knees on.

I was just about to take a look at myself in the mirror when a car honked outside, making me come to a halt. Instead of walking to the mirror, I stopped at my window, looking out to see Louis' black sports car pulled over outside the house.

Knowing how mad he usually got when I wasn't ready on time, I hurried out of my room and jogged to the entryway to slip my black boots on. I then snatched my winter jacket from the hanger before leaving the house, locking the front door behind me since Gemma wasn't home.

I jogged over to the car, barely having time to open the backseat door until they all yelled out; "Happy birthday, Harry!"

I let out a chuckle as I slipped in beside Niall, who had a wide smile on his face. "Now you can't correct me anymore because today is your actual birthday," he pointed out, making me roll my eyes.

"I guess it is. Just don't remind me too much, yeah?" I chuckled.

The other lads were turned to me as well, all of them except for Louis. He was staring out the windshield even though the car wasn't moving yet. I found it a little off, secretly wondering if something had happened.

"You ready to eat some burgers, eh?" Zayn asked, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I tore my gaze away from Louis to look at Zayn in the passenger seat while nodding my head. "Yup, I'm starving."

Louis let out a snort but still didn't turn around. Instead, he turned on the engine and drove off, accelerating like a madman. The action made my eyes widen, and I instantly felt the need to grab the seat in front of me. "Jesus Christ," I breathed, looking out the window where the trees were passing by way too quickly.

"What? Is this too fast for you, Curly?" Louis asked, his voice emotionless.

It made me furrow my eyebrows. What was going on? Why was he acting so weird?

The other lads didn't seem to notice anything, though, since they didn't say a word about it. Instead, Niall and Liam started asking me how it felt to finally turn eighteen and if I was getting close to get my driver's license. I replied to them even if my focus stayed on the boy in the driver's seat. He didn't turn to us once during the entire ride, though.

The second Louis parked the car in an empty spot outside the restaurant, we all got out and headed for the entrance. "I'm paying for your meal today, Harry," Niall said, patting me on the shoulder when the waitress had shown us to a table.

Louis' gaze shot up, looking between the two of us with a crease between his eyebrows. He sat down beside Zayn, opposite me, Niall and Liam at the table, instantly fishing his phone from the pocket of his jeans. Now I was really starting to get confused.

It was my birthday and we had barely even talked to each other. I thought we had moved past this? I thought we were finally starting to really get to know each other. But now it felt like we were back to square one again... or not even that because he had never treated me this coldly before. He wouldn't even look at me, nor tease me the way he usually did.

I couldn't help but feel sad about it. It was my birthday - not that I really cared about that, but I had hoped he was going to give me more attention than usual today. I assumed that wasn't going to happen, though.

The waitress came back a few minutes later to take our orders. I didn't pay much attention to her, though. I just muttered out what I wanted to have while staring at the surface of the table. The second she had walked away again, I felt a nudge in my side.

"Dude, that girl was totally checking you out," Niall pointed out, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I frowned, turning to the direction where the girl just disappeared in. "Really? I didn't notice."

Louis let out a scoff from the other side of the table, rolling his eyes. "Of course you didn't," he muttered barely audible. This made the crease between my eyebrows grow even deeper. What was he getting at?

Zayn broke the silence that had occurred by turning to me with a smile on his face. "So, I just have to say that the party was amazing. You definitely did a great job with it," he complimented.

My lips twitched at his words, and my gaze wandered to Louis quickly. He was part of the reason it had turned out the way it did, but he was staring at his phone again, not even caring that Zayn hadn't included him.

"Thank you, but it was all thanks to Louis," I said, not even caring about the fact that he had barely acknowledged me since I got into his car earlier.

Louis' head snapped up at the sound of his name, and he flicked his gaze between me and Zayn before pulling his lips together in a flat line as he nodded his head curtly.

Letting out a sigh, I turned to Zayn who shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it was a great party nonetheless. You should be proud, mate," he said, and Liam and Niall agreed with him.

"Thank you," I mumbled, my lips forming a small, almost forced smile.

A few minutes later, the waitress came back with our food. This time, I did notice that her gaze lingered on me for a little longer than the other lads, and she also fluttered her eyelashes flirtatiously when I met her gaze. I returned the smile politely, thanking her for the food.

When she left again, they were all looking at me, Louis included. "What?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at them.

"Dude, you acted as if you didn't even notice the way she was trying to flirt with you. Are you okay? Should I get a doctor? I mean, you're literally missing out on a great opportunity here, mate," Zayn said, looking at me in disbelief.

My eyes weren't focused on him, though. As usual, they were on Louis, and he was giving me an unreadable look. I couldn't tell what was going on inside his head, but damn, I really wanted to.

"I'm okay," was the only thing I said as I flashed him a smile.

He raised an eyebrow at me before shaking his head. "If you say so."

During the time we ate, the lads talked about the upcoming school week, how they had a lot of tests to do and essays to write. Louis wasn't participating in the conversation, though, which made me distance myself as well. I knew something was wrong, and I could tell that it was because of me. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been ignoring me like this.

When we were all finished, Liam's phone started ringing. He fished it from the pocket of his jeans and brought it to his ear. "Hello?"

After a minute, he put the phone down to his shoulder. "It's Alice. There's a get-together at Rebecca's place and she's wondering if we want to come," he asked, his gaze wandering between all of us.

Niall's eyes instantly lit up. "Of course! I'm in!"

Zayn nodded. "Sure, why not?"

Liam's gaze flicked between me and Louis then. "Louis and Harry, what about you guys?"

Louis furrowed his eyebrows. "Actually, I think I'm just going to head home. I'm not really feeling it today, to be honest," he admitted, grimacing a little.

We were all surprised by his answer because Louis Tomlinson never missed a chance of going out and meet people. It made me start wondering how bad whatever had happened actually was.

"O-kay. And you, Harry?"

I shook my head. "I think I've celebrated this day more than enough already. I'm actually still a little out of it since the party too."

Liam nodded his head with a small smile on the face before bringing the phone back to his ear. When he was finished, he shoved it in his pocket. "She and her friend will be here in three minutes to come pick us up, so you don't have to drive us there, Louis," he explained, looking at the feathery-haired boy.

Louis opened his mouth to say something, and I was positive he wanted to protest because he realized he would have to sit in a car alone with me, but nothing came out. Instead, he closed it again and just nodded his head curtly before looking down at his lap.

I was definitely going to take advantage of this opportunity because I needed to know what was going on, why he was acting the way he was. Something was wrong, and I was going to find out what.

_____________________________


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 16**

We all walked out of the restaurant together when Alice and her friend showed up. Niall didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around me before leaving, giving me a tight hug. "Happy birthday again, mate. I love you, man," he said into my ear, patting me on my shoulder blade.

I couldn't help the wide smile that formed on my lips at his gesture. "Thank you, Niall. I love you too."

He pulled away, flashing me a grin before jogging off towards the white car that belonged to Alice's friend. Zayn and Liam said goodbye too, fist-bumping both me and Louis before walking to the vehicle as well.

As soon as they were gone, Louis started heading in the direction of his own car. He didn't say a word when I followed him and slipped into the passenger seat next to him. He just turned on the engine and pulled out of the parking spot, making sure to speed up as soon as we were out on the streets.

I wanted to say something. I wanted to ask him why he was acting this way, and I wanted to stomp those fucking brakes because I couldn't take this anymore. It wasn't until he turned on the radio at a ridiculously high volume that I actually reacted, though.

"Alright, that is fucking enough," I snapped, reaching out to slam my hand against the power button to the radio.

Louis looked a bit taken aback by my outburst, but he didn't say anything. Not a single word, and it made me even more frustrated.

"What's going on?" I asked him, staring at the side of his face. My entire body was facing his figure as I watched him, my eyes boring into his skin.

"What? You can't handle some music and fast speed, huh?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at me.

The words made my jaw clench. "You know that's not what I'm talking about."

He clenched his jaw as well, turning his head to stare back at the road. When he didn't say anything, I crossed my arms over my chest. "Tell me," I demanded, still watching him.

Louis frowned, gripping the wheel tightly. "There's nothing to say."

I snorted. "Bullshit. You've barely even looked at me today. The only thing you've done is to give me snide remarks. Other than that, you've just been on your phone and kept quiet, and you are never quiet," I pointed out.

He rolled his eyes. "Everything is not about you, Curly."

Letting out a huff, I shook my head. "Of course everything is not about me, but you've been treating me like shit today. Have I done something? Is that it? What have I done?" I pleaded, and I almost reached out to grab his arm in desperation.

I couldn't have him hate me, especially not for something I didn't even know what I had done wrong. I liked him so much that the thought of him hating me made me want to cry. My mission was to make him smile, make him like me in return, not the opposite.

He was quiet for another few seconds, just staring out the windshield until he finally opened his mouth to explain. "I just... Why have you never mentioned that you like guys?" He asked in a mutter, not turning to meet my gaze, but the entire atmosphere suddenly changed in the car.

My eyes practically bulged out of their sockets as my mouth dropped open in shock. Did he just say what I thought he said? How on earth did he find out? "I... What?"

He rolled his eyes without a trace of humor on his face. "I saw you and Lucas at the party. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about."

I had to inhale a deep breath as I slumped back in my seat, my head hitting the headrest. "I was drunk," I said in an attempt to cover it. He saw through me, though. I could tell by the way a humorless smile crossed his face.

"You were way too into it not to be enjoying it. It was obvious that was hardly the first time you kissed a guy either for that matter."

I swallowed hard, turning to look out the window where the trees were now passing by slower than when he had driven us to the restaurant earlier. I didn't know what to say, what to do, or how to react. Was he going to judge me if I told him the truth? Was he going to be grossed out?

So many thoughts were spinning around in my head that I barely registered that Louis had opened his mouth to start talking again. "Why did you never say anything?" He sounded so calm, yet so confused and... disappointed? Did it really matter that much to him?

I turned to him with a frown on my face. "Why would I?"

He looked at me as if I was crazy. "Because we are best friends maybe? And close friends can tell stuff like that to each other."

The crease between my eyebrows only deepened. "From what I've come to know, you and I aren't that close, though," I huffed.

I didn't know why I was acting this way. I just didn't know what to do. The only thing I was sure of was that I didn't want him to find out who the guy I actually had feelings for was. Then I knew for sure that he would never want to speak to me again.

A frown formed on Louis' face as his eyes locked on the road with a tight grip on the wheel. "What about the other guys then? Do they know?" He muttered, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed hard.

I bit my bottom lip, averting my gaze from him. "No, they don't," I mumbled. "Are you... are you going to tell them?" I couldn't help but ask, secretly afraid that he was going to out me to everyone.

He shrugged his shoulders. "If you don't want me to, then no, I won't. I mean, you kept a secret for me," he told me, most likely referring to the incident when he hit his forehead on his way downstairs at Emily's party.

I nodded my head, letting out a sigh of relief. He wouldn't tell anyone. But wasn't it already bad enough that he out of all people knew about it? He was the main reason I didn't want people to know that I was bisexual because I was sure it would be so obvious that I had feelings for him. I found it weird how Louis hadn't noticed it himself yet by the way I so easily got lost inside his eyes.

"Do you... mind?" I asked hesitantly, feeling how my heart was pounding in my chest. This was the moment I had been dreading ever since I realized I liked him.

"That you're bisexual?" He asked, turning to raise his eyebrows at me.

I nodded my head slowly, barely daring to look at him.

A small, genuine smile formed on his lips as he shook his head. "No, I don't mind. Love is love, right?"

My lips twitched into the widest smile I had pulled the entire day. I felt so relieved. He wasn't disgusted. He didn't mind. He didn't actually mind that I was into guys. Holy shit. This must be the best birthday present I could have asked for... besides actually getting together with him, of course.

"I guess."

We drove for another few minutes until he broke the silence again. "Are you and Lucas...?" He trailed off, glancing at me through the corner of his eye.

I raised my eyebrows at him in surprise. "Dating? No. God, no. We're friends, just friends," I explained quickly.

He nodded his head slowly, his eyebrows furrowed. "And you don't have feelings for him?"

I looked at him as if he just asked me the stupidest question of all time because I really didn't want him to think I liked Lucas like that, which was the truth. I did only see Lucas as a friend, even if I had mentioned that I found him attractive. However, he couldn't compare to the guy sitting right next to me. If only I could tell him that.

"No. I didn't know what I was doing that night. I was drunk and..."

Mad at you for kissing that girl.

"And?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at me.

I knitted my eyebrows together as I shook my head. "Nothing."

He let out a sigh, running a hand through his feathery locks as he looked out the side window.

I bit my lip as I watched him. Something was telling me that more things were going on inside his head. He wouldn't have declined to go to Rebecca's place only because I never told him about my sexuality, right?

"Is there... is there more to it? The reason behind your actions, I mean?" I asked him hesitantly, not wanting him to feel like I was trying to intrude on his life.

He turned to look at me for a second, his face emotionless. "No. I just don't have a good day in general," he told me, and honestly, I didn't know what to believe. Was he lying to me or was he telling me the truth?

"Okay," I said, looking down at my lap while biting my bottom lip.

By now, Louis had pulled over outside my house and turned off the engine. I turned to him with a hesitant smile on my face. "Um, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?"

He nodded his head, watching me as I climbed out of the car. I was just about to shut the door behind me when he stopped me. "Wait!"

I leaned down to look at his face. "Yeah?"

"Happy birthday."

\-----

I thought things would go back to normal after that, but I was wrong. During the next couple of days, Louis was still distant. He barely joined my and the boys' conversations during lunch break, or any break for that matter. During our soccer practices, he was being a more formal and strict captain than the laid back and open-hearted one we all knew him as. We knew that Louis wasn't like that in general either, so there was no doubt that something was still bothering him. I just wondered what.

Something was telling me I wasn't the reason behind his behavior this time, but I wasn't completely sure. He hadn't made any snide remarks as he did at the restaurant, which was the reason behind my assumption. To be honest, he had been looking at me more than he usually did. Sometimes, I could even feel his eyes on me when we were sitting in the cafeteria, but whenever I turned to meet his gaze, he looked away.

I wondered what that was all about, especially since he wouldn't talk. Things would be so much easier if he just opened his mouth and said something, anything. Then I would at least have something to go on.

On another note, Lucas and I had talked through what happened at the party when I arrived to work that Tuesday. We were both on the same page, which was a huge relief. The last thing I wanted was for him to think we could be more than friends. I was not looking for that, even if I really liked him as a person.

He had apologized the first thing he did when he caught sight of me, his eyes pleading as he grabbed my arm. When I asked him why he was apologizing (since I had been the one to kiss him in the first place) he told me that he knew I was drunk, so he was afraid I thought he had tried to take advantage of me. It wasn't my thought of it at all, though. Even if I was drunk, I knew what I was doing. I had been insanely jealous, that was why it had happened in the first place.

After our talk, we went back to normal. There was no tension or awkwardness between us, just banter and laughs like always. Oh, how I wished things were that easy with Louis too. It had only been a week, but I already missed the way he would include me in a conversation just to tease me.

It was now Wednesday, a week and two days after my birthday, and I was supposed to be in the locker room to get changed for practice, but I was running late because I had just passed my driving test. Yes, I had gotten it on my first go. I was so happy. The second the man had told me the news, I had let out a high squeal and almost flung my arms around him. I was pretty sure nothing could take away the exhilaration I was feeling.

Gemma drove me to the gym without even a second thought. She was happy for me too and said that the least she could do was drive me there.

I slammed the door shut behind me after saying goodbye to her, sprinting towards the entrance of the gym. The second I swung the door of the locker room open, the biggest smile was on my face.

The guys looked up at the sound of my arrival, their eyes widening in surprise when they saw my face. "Harry, what's gotten you so happy, man?" Trevor asked, his eyebrows raised.

My eyes weren't on him, though. They were searching the room for the person whose opinion meant the most to me. The second I found Louis sitting on one of the benches, my heart fluttered in my chest. He was looking at me too.

"I just got my driver's license!" I cheered, making hollers erupt in the entire room.

"That's awesome, mate!" I could hear Niall yell out.

"That's how you do it, man!"

"Congrats, mate!"

"Knew you would get it, lad!"

Some of them even got up to pat me on the shoulder in congratulation, making me even happier than I already was. I couldn't believe they all cared about me so much. "Thank you, guys," I said, my eyes looking around to find Louis' gaze again.

My heart almost stopped beating when I saw his face. He was smiling. He was actually smiling at me. An entire week had passed where he hadn't so much as shown one emotion on his face, but right now, his lips were twitched upwards and the crinkles by his eyes were even prominent.

Would anyone catch me if I fainted? Because I could feel my vision getting blurry. This was too much for me to handle, Jesus.

My breath hitched in my throat as I desperately tried to return the smile, but thanks to the chaos going on inside me, it probably turned out more like an ugly grimace. He didn't stop smiling at me, though.

I felt this sudden urge to go over and talk to him. I mean, during the week before my birthday, we had hung out every day after school to prepare for the party, and I missed talking to him. I even thought we were getting closer to each other at that point, but I wasn't sure if he felt the same way.

Instead of doing what I wanted, however, I sat down on the bench to put my shin pads and cleats on. I didn't want to pressure him because I knew how he had been acting this past week. If I just walked up and talked to him, his smile would probably drop and he would find a way to get out of the situation, and I didn't want that. Take it slow, that was the right way to deal with this... I hoped.

Today's practice was all about getting ready for the upcoming game this Saturday. Coach wanted us to show him what we'd got during our first game, that we really wanted to win the league this season, so all of us were really focused on performing during practice as well.

We were currently playing a match, and I was dribbling the ball past one player to another. Unfortunately, it was suddenly stolen from me by someone with quick and gracious legs, practically snitching it at my feet. I let out a gasp, looking up to find Louis heading in the opposite direction with the ball right in front of him.

Pulling myself back together, I started running after him towards our goal, but Ryan caught up with him before anyone else could. Louis swung his leg back to kick the ball towards the net, but before his foot could hit the ball, he was slide tackled right to the left foot, causing him to fly forward and land into a heap on the ground.

"What the hell?!"

My mouth fell open in shock as my feet stopped moving. Shit, that must have hurt.

It turned out that wasn't the end of the situation, though, because Louis sprang up to his feet without even acknowledging the pain that must be shooting through his foot at the second. His jaw was clenched tightly, and so were his fists at his sides.

By now, the match was off and everyone was staring at the scene in front of them. The look on Louis' face told me that he was about to do something he was going to regret, so I pulled my limbs into action and hoped I would get to him before it was too late.

Louis was walking up to Ryan, his face red with anger as he swung his fist back and--

"Louis," I said with a calm voice although I was a little out of breath from running, catching his forearm before he could swing, my eyes boring into the side of his face.

My touch must have sent him completely off guard because his arm instantly went limp in mine and fell to his side. He wasn't facing me, though. He was still glaring at Ryan with his jaw clenched. "You should be happy your face isn't smashed, you fucker," Louis grunted.

I could see Ryan rolling his eyes, snickering slightly at him. It made Louis almost dart for him again, but I assumed the pain was finally starting to kick in because he scrunched his nose up and stopped his movements. "You little shit!" He groaned.

It wasn't until then he noticed that I was still holding his forearm. He turned to me with his eyebrows knitted together before pulling his arm out of my hold. With an angry grunt, he limped off the field towards Coach who was looking in our direction with shock written on his face. Everything had happened so fast that no one had time to react. No one but me, I assumed.

"Louis, you're off during the rest of practice. Ryan, you too. We'll have a talk in the locker rooms later."

_______________________________


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 17**

Once practice was over, we all headed to the locker rooms. Coach had wrapped Louis' injured ankle while Ryan sat on the bench with a grumpy look on his face, his arms folded over his chest.

During the rest of practice, I couldn't help but steal glances at the injured boy every now and then, noticing how he had slumped his shoulders while looking anywhere but the field. Even if he had just been injured, he didn't really seem like his usual self lately, and I was getting worried about him.

Coach supported Louis to the locker room with the feathery-haired boy's arm wrapped around his shoulders. You could tell by the look on the younger boy's face that he didn't really want the help, but Coach wouldn't take no for an answer.

When we were all sitting on the benches in the locker room, it was so quiet that you could hear a needle drop to the floor. Everyone was staring at Coach as he paced back and forth, running a hand over his bald head.

"Guys, I am not happy with you. We are supposed to work as a team, not opponents. I do not tolerate what happened out there today. If any of you intentionally try to hurt one of your teammates again, you are off the team. Are we clear?"

His gaze flickered between every guy in the room, waiting for each one to nod their head. "Good. Ryan, I still want to talk to you once you're finished, alright?"

Ryan nodded his head shortly, pursing his lips.

With that, Coach left the locker room, slamming the door shut harsher than necessary. As soon as he was gone, chatter started erupting in the room, but not on the same level as usual. Everyone was still a bit on edge.

"Hey, Louis. How are you doing?"

I looked over to see Liam sitting down beside Louis on the bench, looking at his foot with concern.

Louis shrugged his shoulders almost carelessly as he looked the other way. "Things have been better."

Liam furrowed his eyebrows. "Um, how's your ankle then?" He asked hesitantly.

The feathery-haired boy turned his face to look at him. "I don't know. I'm just mad at Ryan for injuring me so I can't play on Saturday," he muttered, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth.

Liam nodded his head in understanding. "I'd be pissed if I were you too, man. I hope you'll be able to play soon. We really need you on the team, Louis."

The corners of Louis' lips twitched slightly at his words. "Thank you."

Once I had finished showering and changed into a pair of black joggers and a purple hoodie, I zipped my bag shut and was about to sling it over my shoulder when I came to think of something. However, Zayn beat me to say it.

"Hey, Louis. How are you getting home? You can't drive with that injury even if you want to," he pointed out, standing in front of Louis who was sitting on the bench with his leg stretched out.

Louis just shrugged his shoulders, not looking up to meet his eyes. "I dunno. I guess I'll have to catch the bus and leave the car here," he muttered.

"I can drive you," I found myself saying, my eyes widening when I realized what just slipped out of my mouth. Was I really offering to drive him home?

Both his and Zayn's' heads snapped to me, Louis' eyebrows furrowed while Zayn was looking at me as if I had just come up with a brilliant idea. "Of course! Harry got his driver's license today, so he can drive you home," the raven-haired boy cheered, patting Louis on the shoulder.

I could see Louis muttering something under his breath, but he didn't decline the offer, which I took as a confirmation that I was taking him home. What had I gotten myself into? I had officially been allowed to drive a car alone only a few hours ago, and I was already going to drive Louis' car out of all people? What if I was going to crash it?

Feeling myself getting nervous, I rubbed my clammy hands on my sweats as I walked over to Louis and Zayn. Most of the lads were already gone. There were only a few other people than me Louis and Zayn there, so we didn't draw much attention to us as I reached my hand out to Louis. He was wearing his green Adidas hoodie that I liked so much along with a pair of black joggers.

He looked at my hand for a few seconds, his eyes flickering up to meet my gaze before finally taking it in his. Honestly, I was starting to get worried that he was going to leave me hanging. The second our skin touched, my breath hitched in my throat, but I tried my best to act normal. No friends were affected by their hands touching for goodness sake.

I pulled him up from the bench, instantly bringing my arm around his waist to support him while he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. A feeling of déjà vu hit me as I realized this was the exact same position we had been in when I helped him at Emily's party. I had missed it.

Zayn grabbed my bag from my shoulder and scooped Louis' up from the floor before following us out of the gym and towards the parking lot. Once we were at Louis' car, I realized I needed the key to open the vehicle.

"Um, Louis. Where's the key?" I asked hesitantly, not wanting to make him snap. I knew he was sensible nowadays. Just talking to him could upset him.

"It's in my joggers' pocket," he mumbled, nodding towards the pocket that was on my side.

I realized I would have to get it since his arm was still wrapped around my shoulders, and if I let him go, he would most likely fall to the ground. Feeling my cheeks heat up, I bit my bottom lip as I reached out to his pocket. I tried my best to act normal even if my mind was screaming at me.

You're digging through his pocket right beside the most precious part of his body.

The key wasn't hard to find, though, so I snatched it and pulled my hand out without lingering. I couldn't even if I wanted to. I then unlocked the car and walked him over to the passenger seat to help him inside. Meanwhile, Zayn threw our bags into the backseat before slamming the door shut.

"You think you'll be okay now?" He asked me, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

I nodded my head although I wasn't very sure at all. I wanted to be, though. "Yeah, I'll be fine. See you tomorrow?"

"Sure," he smiled, waving to Louis (who wasn't looking) before jogging off to his father's car across the street.

As soon as I got into the vehicle and had slammed the door shut behind me, a tension-filled silence occurred, making me even more nervous than I already was. I started looking for where to put the key until I realized there wasn't even a hole to put the damned thing in. Turning to Louis, I noticed that he was glancing at me.

"You just press the button to your left," he muttered.

My eyebrows furrowed together as I found the button he was talking about. I pressed it, and instantly, the engine started up. High tech stuff really wasn't my thing. What happened to the good old ignitions?

"Um, it's an automatic car, so you don't need to change gears," he explained, looking out the passenger window as if he couldn't care less that he was explaining this to me. I had a feeling he did care, though. Why else would he even help me in the first place?

"Really?" I gasped, my eyes widening. The hardest part about driving was to find traction mode, so I was nothing but thankful that he had an automatic car.

"Are you surprised that I have an automatic car, or did you just not know that these types of cars exist?" He asked, turning to raise his eyebrows at me. Was that amusement? I hadn't seen him act like this for over a week now.

"Of course I know what an automatic car is, duh."

The corners of his lips twitched as he shook his head. "Alright. Let's see how good of a driver you are then."

I pulled out of the parking lot after Louis had shown me how to get the car in reverse. Once I had made it out on the streets, silence filled the car again, and surprisingly, Louis didn't reach out to turn on the radio.

I tried to focus on my driving instead of thinking about the silence in the car. The worst thing about the situation was that I wanted to talk to Louis. I just didn't know how to since I was afraid he was just going to be upset with me.

We made it to a roundabout where I had to hit the brakes to slow the car down. It was just that this car's brakes were a lot more sensible than the car that I was used to driving, so instead of doing a smooth deceleration, we came to an abrupt stop. It sent both me and Louis flying forward in our seats. Good thing we were wearing seat belts. Otherwise, we would have been thrown against the windshield.

"Holy shit," I gasped, bringing my hand to my racing heart. The abrupt stop had scared the hell out of me.

"And come to think you were the one calling me a bad driver," Louis said, shaking his head.

When I turned to look at him, I noticed that he was smiling faintly while glancing back at me. "It wasn't my fault. I'm just not used to driving this car," I whined, my bottom lip sticking out in a pout.

He let out a light chuckle. "Now you're just trying to save yourself."

I wasn't, but I was too happy to hear him laugh to object. My lips formed a smile in return as I looked at him for a few seconds before turning my attention back to the road. We were quiet for the next couple of minutes.

"Um, how am I going to get home?" I couldn't help but ask. He probably couldn't care less, but I literally had no idea.

He pursed his lips, his eyebrows furrowing. "Okay, let's make a deal," he finally said, turning his body slightly to me.

I glanced at him through the corner of my eye while waiting for him to continue. "Since I won't be able to drive for at least a couple of days now, you can have my car only if you promise to drive me to and from school every day, and practice too. Even if I can't play, Coach probably wants me to work out in some other way," he said, and to say I was shocked would be an understatement.

Was he really offering me to have his car while he was injured and couldn't drive himself? Had he gone nuts while falling when Ryan tackled him? Did he hurt his head too? Because he must be insane for even thinking of an idea like that, especially considering the way he had been acting this past week.

"I uh..." I trailed off.

"I mean, you haven't bought a car yet, have you?" He wondered, raising his eyebrows at me.

I shook my head, my mouth still hanging open from what he had said. "No, I... Of course I'll drive you. I just... isn't this a bit too much to offer?"

He shrugged his shoulders, averting his gaze from me. "If you don't want to, I'll just find someone else to drive me."

I cleared my throat, shaking my head vigorously. "No, I'll do it. I was just surprised you asked me. I mean, you've been slightly on edge the last couple of days. I wasn't expecting you to ask me something like that," I explained to him.

He furrowed his eyebrow together, still refusing to look at me. "Well, I have to get to school somehow, don't I?"

Yeah, but offering me to have your car is something else.

However, I would have to get to him somehow in the mornings if I wanted to be able to drive him, and I knew for a fact that it wouldn't be simple to just ride the bus there every morning. It would be a mess, so having his car at my house was the best solution. I just couldn't understand how he trusted me with something like that. I mean, his car must mean a lot to him.

"I guess..." I trailed off, biting my bottom lip.

By now, we were outside his big, white house that anyone would kill to live in. It always managed to take my breath away.

I got out of the car to help him out, but as soon as I made a movement to support him towards the front door, he flinched away. "I'll manage on my own from here. Um, thank you for driving me, though," he said, his face emotionless.

I knitted my eyebrows together in confusion. Why didn't he want me to walk him to the door? He was okay with me helping him before, so what was different now?

I decided not to object, though, because it finally felt like I had him on my good side, and I didn't want to ruin that.

When he started jumping on one foot towards the front door, I suddenly found myself wanting to stop him. "Louis?"

He turned around hesitantly, his face in a scowl. When he didn't say anything, I took that as my cue to continue. "Are we... are we good?" I couldn't help but ask.

It had been bugging me since he started distancing himself from everyone. I mean, even if he wasn't acting as he did at the restaurant, his change in behavior had occurred right after I confirmed that I was bisexual, so I just wanted to make sure it wasn't because of me.

It took way too long for him to reply, and it made me really fucking nervous. My mind started spinning and I couldn't help but start blaming myself for everything. I was just about to slump my shoulders and walk to the driver's side when he finally opened his mouth.

"Yeah, we're good."

My head snapped up to meet his gaze, and the smile on his lips made my breath hitch. God, he was so beautiful. I wanted to go over there and hug him, bring his body to mine so I could have him close to me.

My lips twitched at the sight as I felt my cheeks heat up a little. "Great."

I wasn't the reason for his behavior. I wasn't the reason he was being so cold and distant. Thank fucking God for that.

I was just about to open the door to the car and get in when the sound of his voice interrupted me. "Thanks for saving me on the field today. I uh... I would have done things that I had probably regretted if you didn't stop me."

My eyes widened slightly, and I couldn't help the flutter in my heart. "I uh... of course. I had a feeling what you were about to do, and now with the scholarship and everything, I figured you wouldn't want to ruin anything by doing something like that. I'm glad I could help, but I'm sorry you had to get hurt. Ryan's a real ass." I said the last part with a grimace, looking down at the roof of his car. I could still see Louis purse his lips, though.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you, Curly," he replied with a faint smile, running a hand through his greasy hair. He hadn't been able to shower earlier thanks to the gauze around his ankle.

My lips twitched at his words, recalling when we had been sitting on my couch to discuss what players should get to start playing at our games. "I guess you were right."

Louis nodded his head curtly. "I'll see you tomorrow, yeah? Seven-thirty." He told me, raising his eyebrows.

"I'll be here," I promised him, my face still performing a smile.

"Don't be late, Curly."

____________________________


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 18**

The second I arrived at home, I slipped off my boots and shrugged off my jacket before tossing my bag on the floor. I was just about to make my way to the kitchen when Gemma emerged from the living room with raised eyebrows. "Did you decide to steal someone's car on your way home from practice, or what?"

My muscles instantly froze to ice. Shit, I hadn't thought about that. Of course mom and Gemma would notice that there was a car parked in the driveway that was neither of theirs. How stupid could I be not to think of that?

Mentally smacking myself on the forehead, I pressed my lips together. "Um, I'm borrowing it from a friend?" I attempted, making her narrow her eyes at me.

"What friend?"

I shrugged my shoulders, averting my gaze from her. She was already suspicious why Louis and I were hanging out so much these days, so I knew she would never shut up if I told her the truth about whose car it was. "It doesn't matter."

This made her narrow her eyes even more. "Wait. Does this have anything to do with the guy you like?" She asked me, making my heart stop beating in my chest. How did she manage to read me so well? What was this? Some kind of superpower she had?

"I... No? Why would you think that?" I asked, trying my best to hide that it was in fact the guy I liked's car that was parked in our driveway, but I had a feeling it wasn't going well.

Before she had time to ask me anything else, mom joined us in the entryway. "Hey, honey. What is Louis' car doing in our driveway? Is he here?" She wondered, looking at me questioningly.

Gemma let out a loud gasp, reaching up to cover her mouth with her hands as she looked at me with wide eyes. My heart had stopped beating in my chest as soon as mom mentioned Louis' name, and I knew I was fucked. I was so fucked that I just wanted to melt into a puddle. Too bad I was inside and there were no puddles in sight. Damn it.

"Louis," she gaped. "You like Louis!"

Mom furrowed her eyebrows, trying to understand what she was on about. "What are you talking about, honey?" She asked Gemma, but her eyes flickered to me.

I didn't know what to do, how to react, or what to say. What could I say? I had already been quiet for too long to deny it now, and Gemma just knew. I could tell by the look of realization on her face. It was like the puzzle pieces had fallen into place in her head. She knew that Louis was the one I had been talking about that day of the party in her car.

I still hadn't found the ability to talk when Gemma opened her mouth. "This explains everything! Why you were so caring with him when you brought him home the night of that party when he hurt himself, why you always have that smile on your face whenever you talk about him, and why you were so mad at me when you thought he liked me," she explained, her eyes still widened in surprise.

I opened my mouth in another attempt to explain myself. "I-I..." I trailed off, running a hand through my still damp curls before letting out a deep sigh. "Yeah, you're... you're right. I do have feelings for Louis."

"I knew it!"

Mom's mouth fell open in shock. "How long have you felt this way about him? And why did you never say anything?" She wondered.

I felt so stared out that I had to look down at the floor. My face was burning with embarrassment because I never expected them to find out this way. Honestly, I never planned for them to find out about it at all. I figured my feelings for him would disappear sometime, especially after graduation, and then I would just get away with it that way. I assumed I was wrong, though.

Taking a deep breath, I looked up, flickering my eyes between the two of them. "About three years maybe? And I didn't tell you because he doesn't feel the same way. I'm just... I'm just ashamed that I have feelings for my straight best friend," I explained, biting my bottom lip.

Both Gemma and mom let out deep sighs. "Come on, let's go sit down on the couch," mom suggested, nodding towards the living room.

We all settled down on the grey couch, mom instantly scooting close so she could bring her hands to my damp curls. "How do you know he doesn't have feelings for you?" Gemma asked, raising her eyebrows at me.

I looked at her as if she was stupid. "Gems, you know how Louis is. He's the biggest ladies' man out there. He's literally with a different girl at every party he attends," I muttered, my gaze on the floor.

"Don't you remember what I told you in the car?" She wondered, making me turn my head to look at her. When I gave her a questioning look, she continued. "Even the straightest people are a little bit gay. You can't just know for sure that he doesn't feel anything for you, H. Why are you giving up before you've even tried?" She whined, reaching over to hit me on the leg gently.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "How do you know I haven't tried?"

She raised her eyebrows at me. "Oh, so you're suddenly telling me you have shown him that you like him? H, you literally just told us that you're ashamed of your feelings, so I'm pretty sure you haven't tried anything."

I flashed her a glare, supporting my head with my hands by resting my elbows on my thighs. "Fine," I muttered. "I haven't tried showing him how I feel."

"That's what I thought," she said, rolling her eyes. "But seriously, H. You have what? Three months until you graduate and then you are going separate ways. What are you waiting for? Don't you want to know if you ever had a chance before it's too late?"

I knitted my eyebrows together, biting my bottom lip. To be honest, I hadn't really thought about that. I mean, sure, I did know that we were going separate ways after graduation, but I had always put the thought to the side, thinking we still had a lot of time left and that my feelings for him would have disappeared by then. But three months? Three months? What happened to years?

"I-I..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say. The realization that Louis and I weren't going to meet every day after these three months hit me like a slap in the face. How was I going to survive? I had already grown fonder of him than I ever thought I would, especially after that week before my birthday when we spent so much time together.

"You haven't thought about it, have you?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

I shook my head, letting out a sigh. "I didn't realize we aren't going to see each other every day anymore once we graduate," I mumbled.

She tilted her head to the side. "See, that's why you have to do something. And, you really don't have anything to lose because you are going separate ways in just a few months anyway. Think about it, H."

Letting out a sigh, I shook my head. "I don't know, Gems. It doesn't feel right to try hitting on him. Our relationship isn't like that. I can't put my finger on it, but it's uh... it's not like anyone else's. We don't know too much about each other in general, but whenever it's just the two of us, it feels like we have this bond. I don't know, I might just be talking bullshit right now," I sighed, running my hands over my face.

Mom stopped moving her hands in my hair. "I don't think you are, honey. I remember when he came here to take you to practice. There was just something about his cheekiness when he asked for my permission to throw you over his shoulder that has stuck to my head," she explained.

I turned to her with a frown on my face. "What are you trying to say?" I wondered.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just saying that I think you two might actually have some kind of bond," she explained to me.

Her words made me shake my head. "You're just saying that to make me feel better, aren't you? Besides, Louis has barely talked to me during the past week, so I'm pretty sure we've both gotten it wrong," I muttered.

"What happened to him?" Gemma asked.

I turned to her, biting my bottom lip. "He's been acting weird since he found out that I'm bisexual. He told me today that his behavior doesn't have anything to do with me, but I don't know for sure. It did really sound like he was telling the truth, though," I sighed.

Gemma pinched her bottom lip between her forefinger and thumb, thinking of what I had just told her. "Okay, so he knows you're bisexual?"

I nodded my head slowly. "He found out at my birthday party, and I confirmed it on my birthday. He was fine with it, though. He just told me that love is love," I explained, my eyebrows pulled together.

"I don't think that's what's bothering him, to be honest," mom implied. "I just have a feeling Louis isn't the type of guy to judge someone. He is good, a sweetheart even."

Mom's description of Louis made my lips twitch. Even if he and I would never be together, it warmed my heart that she seemed to like him so much. I just wished I could call him mine.

"He is, isn't he?" I beamed, feeling relieved that I could finally let my feelings out. I had never expressed my feelings for him openly before, and it felt so good, like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

"I refuse to let this chance slip away from you, H. I can see how much he means to you, and if there's even a slight chance he feels the same way, then I think you should go for it. His car is outside our house for some reason, which must mean he cares more than you think, at least."

I inhaled a deep breath as mom placed a hand on my shoulder. "About that, why is his car even here?" She wondered.

Letting out a deep sigh, I ran a hand through my curls. "A guy on the team intentionally tackled his foot during practice, and I think his ankle is sprained, to be honest. However, he couldn't drive home because of it, so I offered to do it. Then he told me I could have his car during the time he'll be injured if I promise to drive him to and from school and practice every day," I explained, and Gemma looked at me knowingly.

"Sounds like someone wants to spend time with you."

I scoffed. "Oh, shut it. He just doesn't have any other way to get to school if he doesn't want to take the bus, which I know he doesn't. Especially not if he's getting crutches."

Gemma let out a chuckle. "Alright, alright," she said, raising her hands in defense.

Shooting her a glare, I looked at mom who was playing with some of my curly locks. "You know what? I think we should invite him over for dinner. Don't you think that would be a great idea? I mean, you say he's not feeling at his best right now, so inviting him would probably cheer him up," she suggested, making me almost choke on my saliva.

"No, absolutely not. That is not happening, mom. Don't you even try," I warned her.

She pouted her lips. "But I want to meet him now that I know you like him."

Letting out a groan, I got up from the couch. "You know, one of the reasons I never told you guys that I like him was because I knew you would tell him somehow, and I don't want you to ruin things for me. Let me just handle my life myself, alright? I don't want you to get involved with this," I explained, crossing my arms over my chest.

Mom and Gemma exchanged looks before turning to me. They both let out sighs, but mom was the one to speak up. "You're right, honey. I just got a little excited about it. I'm sorry," she apologized with a sincere look on her face.

Gemma nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. I mean, I can't deny that I really want you to do something about the situation, but you are right. This is your life, not ours. We can't control what decisions you decide to make. As long as you do what you really want, then we are happy for you," she told me sincerely. "And I won't tell Louis, I promise."

Mom looked at me, the smile on her face now gone. "Me too, honey. From now on, our lips are sealed."

\-----

When I had locked the front door behind myself and walked over to Louis' black sports car the following morning, I couldn't help but feel nervous. It wasn't the fact that I would meet the guy I liked in just a few minutes that caused it, but the fact that I was going to drive his car alone for the second time now. Okay, maybe I was a little nervous to pick Louis up too. We were going to be alone, after all.

After throwing my bag in the backseat, I positioned myself behind the wheel, taking a deep breath before pressing the button to my left. The engine instantly started up with a roaring sound. I then remembered how Louis showed me how to get the car in reverse before pulling out of the driveway carefully. The last thing I wanted was to crash his car.

During the time it took to drive to Louis' place, I tried to get used to the sensible brakes so the car wouldn't come to an abrupt stop when he was in the car with me again. It was quite hard, though, but it got better each time I had to use them.

The second I pulled over outside Louis' white house, the clock read 7:28, which meant I was on time, and I almost breathed out a sigh of relief since I didn't want him to find any reason to be mad at me.

It didn't take long until I could see his figure getting out of the house, and he started hopping on his good foot towards the car. Since it was still cold outside, the ground could possibly be slippery, so I got out of the car to support him the rest of the way to the vehicle. I also did it because I wanted to in general.

"I see you're on time," he mumbled as I wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"Of course," I said, flashing him a smile. He didn't see it, though, because he was facing forward.

The second we were both inside the car, I turned to him. "How's your ankle?" I asked him, starting up the vehicle with ease now that I had done it three times before.

He shrugged his shoulders, avoiding eye contact. "It's alright. Can't really walk on it, though."

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. Well, of course he couldn't walk on it. His ankle was probably sprained, and I was sure it hurt like hell even if he didn't want to admit it. "You should probably go to the school nurse and have it checked," I told him. "She'll hopefully give you crutches too because you can't hop around like that all day."

He mumbled something under his breath, staring out the side window. "I've managed just fine so far."

Letting out a sigh, I ran a hand through my curls. "Do you want to get better or not? If you don't get crutches and start walking on it too early, it is going to take much longer until you can play soccer again," I reminded him, which made him shut up.

After a few seconds, he let out a sigh. "I'll go there after first class."

"Great."

We were quiet during the next few minutes, and honestly, I didn't expect Louis to break the silence. He wasn't very talkative these days after all. "I see you took care of my car."

I glanced at the side of his face, noticing that he had cracked a small smile. "Well, of course. You thought I was going to crash it once you weren't in it anymore?" I wondered, raising my eyebrows at him.

Truth be told, that was exactly what I had thought I would do, but he didn't need to know that.

"Judging by the way you were driving yesterday, then yes, I did. It wouldn't have surprised me at all," he told me, an amused look making its way to his face, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Heeey," I whined. "That's not fair. It was my first time driving it, remember?"

He rolled his eyes, nodding his head. "I do remember that, Curly. That's still no excuse, though."

I let out a huff, turning my face to focus on the road. On the inside, however, I was screaming with happiness because even if I could tell something was still bothering him, I just missed this so much, the way he would tease me whenever he got the chance to. Even if it wasn't whole-heartedly, it was at least getting there.

Once I had parked Louis' car in an empty spot, I got out, making sure to get around it quickly to help Louis out before he tried to do it on his own. He let out a grunt when I heaved him up from the seat, gripping his upper arms tightly so he wouldn't fall.

Thankfully, Niall's school bus showed up right then, and I didn't hesitate to call him over because I had no idea how I would manage to support Louis all the way to our lockers while carrying our bags.

The second Niall caught sight of us after hearing my call, his eyes widened in recognition, and he instantly made his way over. "Hey, guys," he greeted, eying Louis. "Damn, how's your foot, man?"

Louis looked down at the ground, avoiding eye contact with the blonde guy. "I'm fine," he muttered carelessly.

Niall looked at me with raised eyebrows, and I just shrugged my shoulders. "Can you please carry our bags, Niall? I don't think I'll manage to do it while supporting Louis," I pleaded, flashing him a small smile.

He nodded his head. "Of course, mate. Are they in the backseat?"

"Yeah."

All three of us started heading towards the school entrance, Louis placing his left foot on the ground lightly every now and then since it was hard not to. He really needed those crutches as soon as possible. Otherwise, I was sure his ankle was never going to heal.

After we had managed to make our way through the hallways that were crowded with people who kept throwing us curious glances, we finally arrived at our lockers. Louis instantly slipped out of my hold to open his and get rid of his winter jacket and bag that Niall handed him. He then shut it quickly before turning around to leave, but I stopped him.

"Louis, what are you doing?" I asked him, my face in a scowl.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm heading to class."

I let out a sigh, shaking my head. "You shouldn't put pressure on your ankle," I mumbled so quietly I thought he didn't hear me, but I could tell he did because the next second, he rolled his eyes.

"I'll be fine," he muttered before turning around to leave without uttering another word.

Letting out another sigh, I ran a hand through my curls.

"He's quite stubborn, isn't he?" Niall said, raising his eyebrows at me.

"Tell me about it," I muttered, grabbing my Economics book from my locker. "He just doesn't understand that it will only get worse if he declines the help."

Niall tilted his head to the side, a small smile playing on his lips. "It's actually quite cute how much you seem to care about him."

I could feel my heart stop beating in my chest as my body froze to ice. "He's uh... he's our friend," I tried to cover it, but it only made his smile widen.

"Yeah, but you two seem to have grown closer lately. You don't bicker as much as you used to, you just drove him to school, and now you care about him too. It's cute."

I furrowed my eyebrows, secretly wanting to know what he meant by the word 'cute'. What was cute?

"Uh, sure," was all I said before shutting my locker. "See you after class, Niall."

"For sure. Bye, mate!"

__________________________


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 19**

As soon as the bell rang, signaling the end of the first class of the day, I gathered my books and almost sprinted out of the classroom. I wanted to get to my locker as quickly as possible to make sure Louis was really going to the nurse. Knowing him, he could have just told me he was only to make me shut up.

The second I arrived at my destination, I let out a sigh of relief because Louis was there along with Liam, Niall and Zayn. However, he was keeping a distance from them, just like he had done every day this past week. Now that I thought about it, he hadn't even been chatting up a girl during this time that he had been off.

"Hey, guys," I greeted, walking up to my locker to get rid of my books.

"Harry," Liam smiled as Zayn nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"We were just talking about doing something all five of us after school tomorrow. It's been quite a while since we had a guys' night, hasn't it?" Niall informed, looking at me.

I nodded my head. "Sounds nice. What's the plan?"

"We were just thinking of hanging out at one of our places, playing some video games, drinking some beer and whatnot. How does that sound?" Zayn asked, and I couldn't help but look over my shoulder where Louis was standing, his face hidden behind his locker door.

"I'm in," I told him. "What about you, Louis?"

The feathery-haired boy's face appeared from behind his locker door, his lips pursed as he shrugged. "I guess so."

"Great!" Liam cheered, clapping his hands together.

Zayn, Liam and Niall went back to talking about the plans on Friday while I turned my attention to the quiet boy instead. "Have you been to the nurse yet?"

Louis furrowed his eyebrows together, slamming his locker shut. "No."

Letting out a sigh, I ran a hand through my curls. "You should really go there, you know? I'm sure she's going to--"

"Why are you doing this?" He snapped, cutting me off in the middle of the sentence.

I was taken aback by his words, my mouth falling open. "I uh, what... what do you mean?"

"Why do you suddenly seem to care so much? I mean, just the other day you told me that we aren't close, so none of this makes any sense," he explained, avoiding eye contact.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I never thought those words would stick to his head. "I... I told you that because I thought that's how you saw us," I mumbled, my eyebrows knitting together.

Louis' jaw clenched and unclenched as he shook his head, a fake smile forming on his lips. "I thought we had grown closer, but clearly, I was the only one thinking so."

I opened my mouth to say something, but I was left speechless. I didn't know he felt that way. Had this been bugging him ever since we had it up all those days ago? Was this part of the reason he had been acting the way he did this past week? But why hadn't he just told me that if so?

Running my hands over my face, I shook my head. "That's not true, Louis. I... I didn't mean to say that. I just... I had to blame the fact that I never told you about my uh... my sexuality on something. Besides, we weren't really close up until a week ago, so I didn't think you would take offense. I'm so sorry," I apologized, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth.

He shrugged his shoulders, looking away from me. "It doesn't really matter. I just wanted to know why you're acting like you care about me. You don't have to pretend, you know? I'm used to having people not caring about me."

Now that made me confused if anything. What was he talking about? But before I had time to question him about it, the bell rang. Louis instantly turned around to start hopping away, but I reached out to grip his upper arm.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but I am not letting you walk to next class before you have had your ankle checked. I don't care if you don't believe me, but I do care about you," I told him, making him turn around.

He watched me for a few seconds, his eyes examining my features until he let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll do it, but only because I want my ankle to get better sooner," he muttered, and with that said, he turned on his heel again. Only this time, he started heading in the direction of the school nurse instead of his classroom.

\-----

It turned out Louis really did go to the nurse because after second class, he came hopping on a pair of crutches with a new bandage wrapped around his ankle. He didn't say a word as he opened his locker to shove the books he had tucked under his arm in it.

He probably noticed me staring, though, because the next second, he turned to me with raised eyebrows. "Something's on your mind, Curly?"

I looked away, biting my bottom lip. "I just... I see you got crutches after all," I mumbled, our last conversation playing on repeat in my head. I couldn't stop thinking about the way he had snapped at me, and the fact that he thought I didn't care about him. If he only knew how much I really cared... he would probably be freaked out.

But thanks to that, I didn't want to come off as too pushy with him because if he thought I didn't care, then he would only get more upset with me.

"I did. It's kind of easier to move now. Don't need to grab everything around me anymore," he chuckled dryly, looking down at his feet.

I nodded slowly. There was a short silence where I realized I wanted to bring up what happened just an hour ago. "About earlier, I didn't--"

He reached a hand up to stop me, a faint smile on his face as he shook his head. "Don't say anything. It's okay. Let's just put that behind us, yeah? Just don't... I'll manage fine on my own, alright?"

I wanted to disagree with him, but I didn't want to make a fuss about it. If he was willing to put that conversation behind us as long as I just took a step back, then I could make him believe I cared in some other way. "Alright," I said, even though every part of me wanted to help him out. "I'll see you at lunch, yeah?"

He nodded his head, the faint smile still prominent on his lips. "For sure."

I was just about to turn to my locker and head to my next class when I saw him struggling to get his books out, and then fumbling with them while using his crutches. I knew he didn't want my help - he had made that very clear - and I knew I shouldn't say anything considering I was sure he was just going to get mad at me, but I couldn't just watch him struggle like that.

"Louis, you don't want me to help you carry--"

He cut me off by turning to me, the smile now gone from his face. "Seriously, Curly. I meant what I said."

I let out a sigh, running a hand through my curls. "I'm sorry."

He muttered something under his breath before finally managing to tuck his books under his arm. He then started hopping away towards his next class.

Why did I have to say that? I knew I shouldn't have offered to help him, but I couldn't stop myself. He had been just fine when I had helped him yesterday and earlier this morning, though, so what made him finally snap at me? Did it all just get too much for him?

During the next hour, I found myself lost in my thoughts, trying to get my head around everything that had happened. I just couldn't stop thinking about how much it hurt knowing that he thought I didn't care about him when I literally couldn't go a day without worrying about how he was doing.

I was happy that he finally told me it had bugged him when I said that we weren't close, though. It had been really stupid of me to say that to begin with because we had grown closer during that week. However, I didn't think he would take it so personally because honestly, I didn't think he thought the same way about it. I guess I was wrong, though.

The second the bell rang, signaling it was time for lunch, I got up from my seat to walk back to my locker. It took some time because the hallways were really crowded during this time of the day, but I managed to get there eventually.

Neither of the guys was there when I arrived, so I quickly got rid of my books, shoving them into my locker. I was just about to turn around when I heard a familiar voice in the hallway, making every muscle in my body freeze to ice because the voice was soon followed by a female's laugh.

When I finally decided to look up, my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach because there Louis was, walking with a brown-haired girl. Or, Louis was using his crutches while the girl was carrying his books.

Okay, so this unfamiliar girl could help him, but I, his best friend, couldn't? Why did that hurt so much?

I instantly looked away from them, regretting that I had even mentioned that he hadn't chatted up a girl during the past week. He obviously hadn't changed. I had probably just not caught sight of him when he had been talking to any of them.

With a sigh, I closed my locker and started walking in the direction of the cafeteria. However, I didn't really look where I was going, so, unfortunately, I managed to walk right into someone's shoulder. The impact wasn't harsh enough for either of us to stumble, but it caused our eyes to meet, and God, I really wished I had been aware of where I was going.

Louis' ocean blue eyes scanned my face while I looked back at him, my face probably showing just how hurt I was. He wasn't supposed to see it, but since I was such a klutz, I just had to catch his attention somehow, didn't I?

My eyes trailed to the girl who hadn't noticed what had happened before I looked back at Louis, the muscles in my face hardening. I then turned around abruptly and continued heading in the direction of the cafeteria, not bothering to look back to see if he was still watching me.

Once I entered the crowded room, I bought a cheese sandwich along with a bottle of coke before sitting down at the table where Liam and Niall were already sitting. I greeted them quietly before opening the wrapper of my sandwich although I wasn't planning on eating it. I wasn't really hungry anymore.

It took a few minutes until Louis entered the room, this time without a girl by his side. Instead, he was hopping on his crutches alone towards the café to buy something to eat. The lady behind the cash register eyed him sympathetically as he took both crutches in one hand and the sandwich and bottle of soda in the other, but he didn't notice.

Why was this guy so stubborn? Why didn't he just ask for help? And why couldn't he ask his friends for help instead of people he didn't know? I just didn't understand.

Once he arrived at our table - after hopping on his good foot - he put the crutches to the side before sitting down in the seat next to me, placing his sandwich and bottle of soda on the table. He didn't say a word, nor did he look up to notice that everyone at the table was looking at him.

"So, Louis, how's the crutches working for you?" Niall asked curiously, raising his eyebrows at him.

Louis reached out to unwrap his sandwich before looking up at the blonde-haired boy. "I thought I liked them, but now I'm not so sure anymore," he mumbled, which made me furrow my eyebrows.

His comment made everyone confused. "What do you mean?" Liam wondered.

Louis let out a sigh, looking down at the sandwich in his hand. "I can't fucking carry anything on my own while using them, and I don't like it when people feel the need to help me."

My heart stopped beating in my chest as my muscles froze. Did that mean he never wanted that girl to help him carry his books either?

Niall and Liam seemed a bit taken aback by his words as well. "I'm uh... I'm sure they just want to be nice, though?" Liam said hesitantly.

Louis didn't say anything to that. He just started eating his sandwich while minding his own business. That was until I could feel him glancing at the side of my face. At first, I tried to avoid it, but as he kept doing it, I eventually couldn't stop myself from turning my head to meet his gaze.

"You're not eating, Curly," he pointed out, his eyes flickering to my untouched sandwich on the table.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm not hungry."

He shook his head. "Nonsense. We both know you are."

Knitting my eyebrows together, I looked away from him.

"Fine, don't eat then," he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I hope you know that you're still driving me home after school. You do have my car after all," he reminded me.

I opened my mouth to reply, but nothing came out because I was so shocked that he had talked to me like that after everything that had happened today. If I could, I would love to get a glimpse of what was going on inside that boy's head because right now, he was confusing me so much that it was giving me a headache.

Why did he have such a big problem with people helping him, and what on earth did he mean by the fact that he was used to having people not caring about him? Damn, I couldn't wait to find out what the reason behind all this was.

_________________________________


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 20**

The second I walked to my locker after the last class of the day, I could almost feel myself getting a little nervous because I was going to be alone with Louis again. Only this time, it felt worse since it was after he had caught me off guard by telling me he thought I was only pretending to care about him this morning.

After lunch, we hadn't really talked to each other, but he had kept glancing at me during the breaks, just like he had done during the last couple of days. It only added to the confusion I felt about every action he made nowadays, but I couldn't help but be a little happy about it as well, considering it meant he was still paying attention to me. As long as he wasn't mad at me, it was all good.

Louis was already there when I got to the lockers, trying to sling his bag over his shoulder while using his crutches. The scene made me almost frustrated because why was he trying so hard? It didn't make any sense. He could easily just ask for help, but he just wanted to do it by himself.

The second he noticed me walking over, he let out a frustrated groan and threw the bag to the floor. "Stupid bag. I'll just leave you there to rot," he muttered under his breath. It made me roll my eyes.

"The bag has done you nothing wrong, Louis. Don't blame it for your stubbornness."

I was almost surprised that those words left my mouth, but I guess I was finally starting to recover from what he had confessed to me this morning. Also, I was growing a little tired of him not wanting any help.

He seemed surprised by my words as well, judging by the way his mouth fell open. He recovered pretty quickly, though. "I don't even like it to begin with," he grumbled. "And I'm not stubborn."

The last part almost made me let out a loud bark of laughter because that must be the biggest lie of the century. However, I settled with raising my eyebrows at him instead. "You're joking with me, right?" I asked him.

But when he looked me in the eye, there was no trace of humor on his face. "I just don't want people to pity me."

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "You do know some people might actually want to help you, though? I know what you said earlier, but it doesn't really make any sense. Some people do care about you."

I could swear I heard him say 'not the people I want to' but I wasn't sure because he was mumbling. I decided not to question him about it, though, because I knew he wouldn't answer me anyway. Instead, I grabbed my jacket and bag from my locker before closing it.

Without even glancing at Louis, I picked his bag up from the floor and slung it over my other shoulder. "I don't care what you say, I'm carrying your bag no matter what," I muttered, walking past him to start heading towards the exit.

It didn't take long until I could hear the sound of his crutches clinking against the floor behind me, so I knew he was following me despite everything. The second we got to his car, I unlocked it before throwing our bags into the backseat. I didn't help him when he placed his crutches in the car and climbed into the passenger seat. I wasn't so stupid that I was going to repeat the actions I knew would only make him upset with me again.

I didn't start up the car right away because there was something that had been bothering me ever since this morning. Without turning to him, I gripped the wheel while staring out the windshield. "You told me we were good."

Through the corner of my eye, I could see Louis' head snapping to me. He ran a hand through his fringe as he inhaled a deep breath. "We are good."

Yeah, right.

I pulled my eyebrows together, shaking my head. "Then why didn't you tell me it bothered you when I said we weren't close?" I wondered, finally turning to meet his gaze.

He let out a sigh. "Because there's nothing to do about it. I can't go around blaming you for not having the same idea of our friendship as I do."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he held his hand up, signaling me to keep quiet. "You have already explained yourself, it's okay."

I didn't know if that meant he believed me or if he just didn't want to hear me explain myself again. I really hoped for the prior because I couldn't have him think that I didn't want to be close to him. I wanted to be as close as fucking possible. Couldn't he see that?

"Can I ask why you snapped at me? I mean, you were just fine with me helping you yesterday," I mumbled, changing the topic since he seemed to be finished with the previous one.

He let out a sigh. "I have already told you that I don't like it when people pity me, so when you tried to help me so much, I guess something just snapped inside me. I should have just told you how I felt, but I thought you would realize it," he explained.

I pursed my lips, thinking about the fact that he didn't think I cared about him. It wasn't hard to tell that everything was connected. Why he didn't want people to help him, and why he had a hard time believing people cared about him. He told me that he wasn't used to having people caring, but who had he been talking about? Who even put these thoughts in his head to begin with?

"Curly, it's been almost five minutes and we are still parked outside the school. Are you planning on getting out of here anytime soon, or shall I call someone else to pick me up?" Louis questioned, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, shut it," I muttered under my breath, turning on the engine to pull out of the parking space.

After sitting in silence for a couple of minutes, I couldn't help but ask him about my previous thoughts. "So, you really don't think I care about you, huh?"

Louis turned to me with a frown on his face. "Can't we just forget about that? I already told you I don't really think anyone cares," he grunted.

I ran a hand through my curls, biting my bottom lip. "Does that mean you don't remember how I helped you at the party when you hurt yourself on the stairs? Or how I stopped you from beating Ryan yesterday?"

He was quiet for a long time, so long that I started wondering if he was even going to answer me. "You just did because you felt like you had to."

I let out a snort, shaking my head. "You're unbelievable."

"Can't we just talk about something else instead? I'm sick of having these conversations. Everything is already so fucking depressing nowadays with my injury and uh... other stuff. I just want to forget about it for a second," he muttered, a tired look on his face.

I turned to look at him, my eyebrows furrowed together. "What do you want to talk about then?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know... um, you maybe? Do you have work today?" He asked me, and it was probably the first time he talked about my job without making fun of it.

I raised my eyebrows before nodding my head, my eyes back to focusing on the road. "I do. It's Thursday, after all."

Through the corner of my eye, I could see him look down at his lap while biting his bottom lip. "Is uh... Is Lucas going to be there?"

I was a little confused by his question. "Yeah, I guess so? I don't really keep track of his shifts, though. Why?" I asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I was just wondering," he replied.

His answer made me even more confused, and I was just about to question him about it when he beat me to it. "You know what? I think I might just go with you to try out that chicken stew you told me about the other day. I'm getting quite hungry."

My mouth fell open in shock because what the hell? Where did that even come from? "You what?"

"Why not?" He asked me, looking at the side of my face. "You said it was good, didn't you?"

Yes, but I wasn't expecting you to come up with that idea.

"Uh, I guess."

"Then why not? Unless you were lying about it, that is," he said, narrowing his eyes at me in suspicion.

I couldn't help but let out a light chuckle as I shook my head. "Of course not. I wouldn't lie about that."

"Good."

It wasn't until it fell silent again that I realized just how much I had missed talking to Louis like this. It made my heart flutter in my chest, even if there was a voice in the back of my head reminding me of everything that had taken place before this conversation. However, I didn't want to think about that now, not when he was acting like this. I mean, before he was injured yesterday, we had gone an entire week without barely even talking to each other, and I had missed it too much.

"I'm assuming I'm not driving you home then?"

He shook his head. "No, you're not. You're driving me to your work once you have gotten changed at your house."

Damn, he actually remembered my routines from driving me to work twice that week when we hung out together. Was that supposed to make my heart burst with joy? Because it did.

I nodded my head, a smile tugging on my lips because I couldn't hold it back.

During the rest of the ride to my place, I learned that the nurse told him he would need to have his ankle bandaged for at least a week because his ankle was in fact sprained. As soon as it didn't hurt anymore, he was going to start putting pressure on it. If everything went as planned, he would be able to walk normally in about a week and a half, but he was going to need rehab afterward in order to no get it sprained all over again.

Other than that, we didn't talk much during the ride to my house and the diner, but it was okay. I was more than happy about the conversation we just had. Between us, it was the closest to normal I had felt in a very long time.

I parked Louis' car outside the restaurant after I had stopped to get changed into a pair of dark blue jeans and a white t-shirt at home. The last thing I needed was to be formally dressed, considering my apron was basically the only thing the customers pointed out about my attire anyway.

Louis got out of the car by himself and grabbed the crutches from the backseat before starting to hop towards the entrance. "I'll see you inside then, Curly."

I nodded my head, smiling at his back as I made my way to the backdoor. I hurried to put my apron on before walking through the kitchen to get out to the diner. Lucas was standing behind the counter when I got there, taking charge of a customer.

"Harry!" He burst out when he caught sight of me, flailing his arms out.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. "Someone's happy, I see."

He tilted his head to the side, his blue eyes twinkling from the lights in the room. "I thought we were over this? I am always happy to see you, mate," he chuckled, making me laugh as well.

We were interrupted by someone clearing their throat, causing both of our heads to snap in the direction of the sound. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of Louis, although I knew he was going to show up. He just always managed to have this effect on me.

His jaw was clenched tightly as his gaze flickered between me and Lucas. Lucas didn't seem to notice this because his eyes widened in surprise as he burst out excitedly; "Louis? Wow, it's been ages, man! It's so nice to see you again."

Watching Louis' reaction made a feeling of déjà vu erupt inside me because it was so close to how he had been looking at Lucas the first time he had come here to eat. However, after a few seconds, he composed himself and managed to curl his lips into a smile, although it looked more like a grimace, to be honest.

"You too, Lucas," he nodded in acknowledgment, turning to look at me. "Um, you know my order, right?" He asked, his lips pressed into a tight line as he flickered his gaze to Lucas for a second.

"Of course," I said, a cheeky smile forming on my lips. "My favorite."

His face lit up a little at my words, a light chuckle escaping his lips as he nodded. "I guess."

Through the corner of my eye, I could see Lucas looking at us with raised eyebrows, but he didn't say anything as I found myself getting lost, staring into Louis' blue irises while he was staring back into my green ones. After a few seconds, Lucas eventually interrupted us, though.

"So... Are you handing the order to the kitchen, Harry?" He wondered.

I snapped back to reality, breaking my and Louis' eye contact and clearing my throat. "Um, yeah. Of course," I muttered, turning around to head into the kitchen.

Once I got back to the diner, Louis had hopped away to the same table he sat at the last time he visited. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked over to Lucas who looked up when I arrived. A smile formed on his lips upon seeing me.

"So, what happened to him?" He asked, nodding in the direction of where Louis was sitting, referring to the crutches he was using.

I bit my bottom lip. "Um, a guy on the team intentionally tackled him and hurt his ankle, so now he's on crutches for about a week and a half," I explained.

"Damn, tough luck," he grimaced. "He doesn't really like me, does he?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, knowing he must be referring to the way Louis had replied to him when he arrived, but Louis had never told me that he didn't like him. "He's never mentioned anything about it."

Lucas tilted his head to the side, the grimace never leaving his face. "Harry, I can literally feel him glaring at me at this second. He does not like me. I don't really recall anything I ever did to him, though," he explained, making me even more confused.

I turned around, only to notice that Louis was in fact glaring at us, or more specifically at Lucas. He was right. I didn't recall anything he had done to make Louis dislike him either. So, why was Louis glaring at him?

Lucas had to take care of a customer then, and I was called to the kitchen. When Louis' meal was finished, I grabbed his plate and walked over to him with it. He had now fished his phone from his pocket and was typing away on it.

"Here you go," I said, putting the plate down in front of him on the table.

He looked up from his device at the sound of my voice and placed the phone on the table. "So, this is the famous chicken stew you've been talking about, then?" He wondered, the corners of his lips curling.

"The one and only," I assured him.

He pursed his lips, looking down at it before turning his gaze up to meet mine again. "I can't say it looks very appealing to me."

If it wasn't for the teasing look on his face, I would have thought he meant what he said, but now I knew he was only joking with me. It had been quite some time since he last did, though, so no one could really blame me for thinking he was being serious. "It doesn't get any better, Louis. I can promise you so much," I told him, flashing him a smirk.

He shook his head, a small smile on his lips. "We'll see about that."

Before I had time to reply to him, I was called to the kitchen again, probably to fetch another order I had to serve. I shot him an apologetic look before walking away, hoping I would get to talk to him in a bit again so I could ask him what he thought about the meal.

It turned out I wasn't that lucky, though, because an entire basketball team entered the diner right then, which meant I instantly became caught up with work. It was probably half an hour later that I could finally tear myself away from it, but unfortunately, I could see Louis approach me where I was standing behind the counter then. By the looks of it, he was leaving, which made my heart drop in my chest.

Lucas' shift ended a few minutes ago, so there were only another co-worker and I standing there when Louis stopped in front of me. "Danny's here to pick me up," he announced, nodding in the direction of the exit.

I nodded my head, trying not to show my disappointment. "I'll see you tomorrow, though, right?"

He flashed me a small smile. "Yeah, for sure. You're picking me up at seven-thirty in the morning. I mean, you do have my car after all," he reminded me, making me want to smack myself on the forehead. Right, I was driving his car. How come I had already forgotten about that?

"Right."

He was just about to turn around and leave when he stopped himself. "Oh, and by the way, the chicken stew was good. I can see why you like it so much," he grinned.

With that said, he finally hopped out of the diner, leaving me to smile at the door that closed behind him. I could tell why I liked him so much. There was literally no reason why I shouldn't. He was just... impossible not to like.

The next couple of hours were pretty uneventful. I served boring customers who didn't even as much as try being nice or utter more than a 'thanks' to me. However, that was until a familiar blonde girl walked into the diner. I hadn't seen her in weeks, but the sight of her made my lips curl into a smile.

"Hi, Lottie," I greeted as she walked up to me.

The second she saw me standing behind the counter, her face lit up. "Hey, Harry. Fancy seeing you here."

I let out a chuckle. "It is my workplace after all."

She nodded in agreement, the smile never leaving her face. "So, I don't know if you're the right person to talk to considering I know you're a waiter, but I'm here to pick up another takeaway," she informed me.

That reminded me of something. Didn't Lottie and Fizzy pick up a takeaway of chicken stew the last time they were here? Did that mean Louis never ate with them at that time?

I waved a hand in dismissal. "It's okay," I told her. "Um, can I ask you something?"

She looked at me curiously. "Yes, of course."

"Does Louis eat the food you order from here?" I wondered, making her furrow her eyebrows.

"Um... No, not usually. It's quite seldom he attends our family dinners."

"Why is that?" I couldn't help but ask her, my curiosity blossoming.

She shrugged her shoulders. "It's kind of complicated, and not really my story to tell. However, it's been worse lately, ever since he found out about... something. I understand why he doesn't want to attend them, though," she grimaced, making my mouth fall open.

"Oh."

She nodded her head, looking behind my shoulder. Right then, a plastic bag was placed on the counter next to us by my co-worker. "Pasta Bolognese."

"That's me," Lottie announced, walking over to pay for the food.

I was left in deep thought, thinking about what she had just told me while trying to fit the puzzle pieces together in my head. I was so caught up in it that I almost missed Lottie waving goodbye to me.

"It was nice to see you again, Harry. Bye!"

"Bye, Lottie," I called back, plastering a smile on my face.

During the remaining time of my shift, I walked around the diner, thinking about what I had just learned. Louis usually didn't attend family dinners, and Lottie said he had a good reason not to. Then there was the part that stuck to me the most;

It's been worse lately, ever since he found out about... something.

Could this be the main reason why he had been acting weird the past week?

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	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 21**

When I drove to Louis' place the next morning, I found myself longing to meet him again. The fact that I hadn't been able to speak to him the other day at the diner made me miss him even more than usual, especially since he was finally starting to act like his usual self. Well, if you didn't count the fact that he still got upset when people tried to help him. I knew better than to fall into that trap again, though.

During the last couple of weeks when I had really gotten to know Louis, I had learned that there were a few things that made him upset whenever they were brought up. The first time it happened was after he had hit himself at the party. His entire mood dropped whenever it was mentioned. Then there was whenever someone suggested going over to his house. Even though we had been there before, he was always on edge whenever it was brought up.

At last, it was the way he didn't want anyone to help him. He said he was used to having people not caring about him, which must be the reason behind that. I mean, if you didn't believe people cared about you, you didn't want anyone to look out for you either.

The worst thing about it all was that I couldn't ask him about it. Well, at least not right now because I knew him well enough to know that he would only get upset with me and shut me out once again if I did so, and I didn't want that.

So, as soon as Louis joined me in the car (without his bag, considering it was still in the backseat since yesterday), I promised myself not to bring it up. I wanted to get closer to him, not make him want to leave and get away from me.

"Morning, Curly," he greeted after throwing his crutches in the backseat and clumsily getting into the passenger seat.

I turned to him, a smile on my face. "Good morning, Louis. How're you doing?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm alright. Better than I have been in a while," he admitted, giving me a small smile in return. "You?"

I nodded. "I'm good too. I'm sorry for what happened at the diner yesterday, though. There are usually not that many people there at the same time," I apologized, biting my bottom lip.

Letting out a light chuckle, he shook his head. "It's okay. You were there to work, not talk to customers."

I flashed him another smile before turning on the engine and driving off to school. "So, Lottie visited the restaurant yesterday after you left," I told him, only curious to see his reaction, not to interrogate him about what she had told me.

He raised his eyebrows, looking a little surprised. "Yeah? You didn't try anything with her, did you?" He wondered, sounding suspicious.

I couldn't help but let out a laugh as I shook my head. "No, Louis. We called a truce, remember? Besides, I think I'm more into guys than girls, to be honest."

"Well, that explains why you didn't acknowledge that waitress at the restaurant on your birthday. You should have seen her face when you didn't so much as give her a second glance... She was so disappointed," he said, shaking his head in amusement.

"Really?" I asked him incredulously. I barely acknowledge her actions at all, but mostly because that was the day Louis had started acting weird. It was even the worst day of them all because he hadn't even paid attention to me, and it was all thanks to the fact that he had found out I was bisexual... I think.

"Yeah. It's actually quite funny how you still haven't figured it out. What about that Evelyn girl, though? There's nothing going on between the two of you either?" He asked, looking at me with raised eyebrows.

I shook my head. "Not on my part. Can't really speak for her, though, but I'm trying to show her that I just want to be friends," I shrugged. "But she is a really nice girl."

He pursed his lips, furrowing his eyebrows together slightly. "So, you didn't lie when you told me you were only getting to know her, and that you 'wasn't feeling it' at the party, huh?"

I was confused by his question because what? Did he think I had lied about that?. "Why would I lie about that?" I asked him, glancing at the side of his face.

He shrugged his shoulders. "It just seemed like you two were getting on so well. That was kind of why I was mad at you that time in the hallway if you remember? I just don't like it when people lie to me," he admitted, flashing me an apologetic smile.

I shook my head. "No, I didn't lie, and I never really do either. I've only done it to you once, and to my defense, I didn't even know I was. I mean when I told you that we hadn't grown closer. I just didn't know if you were on the same page as me, and I didn't want to get my hopes up."

He turned to me with a frown on his face. "Get your hopes up? You mean you would actually want us to be close?"

Knitting my eyebrows together, I glanced at him. "Yeah? I thought I had already explained to you that I didn't mean what I said that time."

I remembered the conversation we had yesterday, and I still wasn't sure if he believed me or not, but I really hoped he did now. I didn't mean to hurt him when I said that we hadn't grown closer, but I didn't know any better. I mean, being close to Louis was something I had dreamed of for a very long time. If I knew better, I would have never declined it.

He slumped back in his seat. "I guess I just didn't know what to believe. But yeah, I'd like for us to be close too. As long as you don't deny it again," he said, sending me a cheeky smile. And damn how I loved to see those crinkles appear by his eyes. Especially when it was because of me. I could literally die happy now.

Feeling breathless, I curled my lips in a smile. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Five minutes later, we arrived at school. I turned off the engine and got out of the car to get our bags from the backseat while Louis grabbed his crutches. I was just about to start walking towards the entrance when he held his hand out to me.

"My bag."

I stared at his hand, letting out a deep sigh. "Louis, you have to realize that I'm not carrying your bag out of pity. I'm doing it because I'm your friend, and friends look out of each other, alright?" I said, glancing up at him.

I didn't want him to be mad at me, but I couldn't let him carry the bag when he was using crutches. It would make me look like an asshole in other people's eyes, and I also couldn't see him suffering while trying to carry it.

He bit his bottom lip, furrowing his eyebrows together before letting out a sigh. "Alright, fine, but don't make it a habit. I'm only letting you help me because I don't really know how I would manage to carry it myself all the way to my locker," he huffed.

I rolled my eyes, slinging the bag over my shoulder. "Works for me."

He glanced at me through the corner of his eye, shaking his head slightly before turning the other way. We then walked to our lockers in silence. The guys were already there, chatting with each other when we arrived.

"Harry, Louis," they greeted in unison.

"Hey, guys," I said, handing Louis his bag once he had opened his locker.

Zayn lifted an eyebrow at us, Niall smiling brightly while Liam just seemed unaffected. "Did you guys come here together?" Zayn asked, making me want to let out a frustrated groan. I was getting tired of always hearing how weird it was for me and Louis to hang out with each other. Weren't we already over this?

"I'm driving him to school now that he can't do it himself," I explained, rolling my eyes.

He pursed his lips. "O-kay. So, we were just talking about hanging at Niall's place tonight, sounds good?"

I looked at Niall before nodding my head with a smile on my face. "Sounds perfect. It's been a while since we were there. I kinda miss Maura," I pouted, making the blonde guy scoff.

"Sorry to break it to you, mate, but mom's not going to be home."

"That's too bad," I muttered, flashing him a smirk.

Niall let out a loud chuckle, shaking his head. "Shut up, Styles."

"How are you feeling today, Louis?" Liam asked, turning everyone's attention to the feathery-haired guy who had just shut his locker.

He looked up at us and nodded his head curtly, the corners of his lips curling a little. "I'm good. My ankle's pretty much the same, but otherwise, I'm feeling a little better."

Liam's face lit up, probably happy that Louis replied to him in a way that didn't make him feel like he had asked something wrong. "That's good to hear, mate. We're certainly going to miss you on the field tomorrow," he grimaced, making Louis scrunch his nose up.

"I'm going to miss being there too. I'll be watching, though," he said, his eyes turning to look at me. "Looks like you are going to be captain now, after all," he chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

I had only been joking with him that time when I told him I was going to be captain if he got injured. Or, I wasn't exactly joking because I was going to take his post now, but I never really wanted it to happen. Louis was a great captain, and I was sure I wouldn't be able to reach his standards.

Shaking my head, I feigned a smile. I would much rather have him on the field being captain than have him on the bench being injured.

"Hey, Louis."

My eyes snapped up to see the same brown-haired girl who had helped Louis carrying his books yesterday walk over, a bright smile on her lips. Louis' eyebrows shot up, his mouth falling open slightly. "Uh, hi, Chloé."

"How's your ankle?"

Louis pressed his lips in a tight line, and I wondered if it was because he was growing tired of hearing so many questions about how he was doing. "It's okay, I guess. Same as yesterday," he shrugged, looking at me through the corner of his eyes.

I swallowed hard at the scene in front of me because if there was something I didn't like, it was witnessing him flirting with girls, or girls flirting with him. It probably wasn't that hard to understand, though, because I wished I could be one of them.

Chloé grimaced at his words. "So, since we have the same class, I was wondering if I could walk with you?"

Louis shrugged his shoulders, pursing his lips. "Sure, why not?"

Her entire face lit up at his words, and she instantly reached out to take his books from under his arm without even asking him. I could see him furrow his eyebrows, but he didn't say anything as she took them in her hands and pressed them to her chest along with her own.

I was so close to take a step forward and snatch the books out of her hold because no, she did not get to do that without getting told off. I didn't know what came over me, but I had to bury my hands deep into the back pockets of my jeans not to punch something. Maybe I was immature, but I couldn't help the jealousy that flared up inside me.

As soon as Louis and Chloé were gone, Liam and Zayn walked off to their classes as well, leaving me alone with Niall.

"It looks like you're about to punch something, Harry," he pointed out, raising his eyebrows at me.

I turned to him abruptly, my eyebrows knitting together. "I'm not," I muttered, taking my hands out of my pockets, but they were still balled into tight fists.

I could see Niall look down at my hands, and he shook his head while letting out a sigh. "It's about that girl, isn't it?"

The crease between my eyebrows deepened at his words, and I could feel how my heart was starting to pound in my chest. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He placed a hand on my shoulder, looking me in the eyes. "It's okay, Harry."

I met his blue eyes with mine, staring into them for a few seconds until I let out a deep sigh. "I have to go."

With that said, I grabbed my books from my locker before heading to my class without looking back at the blonde-haired boy.

He couldn't know that he was right, he just couldn't.

\-----

Later that day, I drove to Niall's house all by myself in Louis' car. He told me he could ride with Zayn and Liam since they all lived close to each other, and it would only be a detour for me if I came to pick him up. I wanted to disagree with him, but I couldn't since he would probably wonder why on earth I wanted to pick him up so badly.

The second I arrived at Niall's place, the other boys were thankfully already there. After what Niall witnessed that morning, I had done my best to avoid being alone with him. The last thing I wanted was for him to confront me about Louis again because I had a feeling he was suspecting something.

I was wearing a pair of black, skinny jeans that were ripped at the knees, and a purple, checked button-up with the three top buttons undone, thinking I could at least dress up a little. However, I couldn't speak for the curls because I was sure they were a mess, especially considering the stormy weather outside.

Louis, Niall, Liam and Zayn were all sitting on the white couch when I walked into the living room, their eyes instantly turning to me when they noticed I was standing in the doorframe. "Harry!" They called out and instantly scooted over to make some space for me on the couch.

Luckily for me, the empty spot they made room for was beside Louis, so I didn't hesitate to walk over and sit down beside him and Zayn. "What are you guys up to?" I wondered, only then noticing that there were quite a few cans of beer on the coffee table along with two bowls of snacks.

"We just came here like five minutes ago, so all we've done so far is just to talk about some stuff," Zayn explained, shrugging his shoulders.

Louis' crutches were on the floor at our feet, his injured foot propped up on the coffee table in front of him. By the looks of it, he seemed at ease, something I found relieving. The last thing I wanted was for him to have gone back to being uptight.

"What kind of stuff?" I asked, turning to raise my eyebrows at Zayn.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Girls and things like that."

I wanted to roll my eyes because of course they had been talking about girls. What else did these guys talk about? Why did they never chat about soccer with the same passion? I mean, that was something we all loved as well.

"Speaking of girls, have you heard anything from Evelyn?" Liam asked, his eyes set on me.

His question took me by surprise because I hadn't really talked to her since my birthday party, where I had gotten so drunk I barely remembered what happened. "Uh, no?" I said, raising an eyebrow. Was I supposed to have heard from her?

I could feel the muscles in Louis' thigh tense a little, but I didn't turn to see the look on his face.

Liam narrowed his eyes a little. "Apparently, she's told Alice that she wants to ask you out. Maybe she's just not found the guts to do it yet," he shrugged, making me gulp.

Louis fidgeted in his seat beside me, but I was too caught up in my thoughts to put more thought into it. Was Evelyn seriously planning on asking me out? Truth be told, I had not registered those signals from her, but maybe I had just been too blind to notice it?

Zayn let out an 'ooh' sound. "Damn, Styles. Someone wants the 'd'," he joked, nudging me in the shoulder playfully.

I shot him a glare, shaking my head. "She's not like that," I muttered because I knew she wasn't. Evelyn was nice and friendly, and she hadn't shown me any sign of just wanting to get into my pants.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever, mate. You definitely have her on the hook, though."

I didn't reply to him, and thankfully, Niall decided to change the topic then. "How about we get this party started by drinking some beer, eh?" He suggested.

We all agreed on that, and the tension that had filled the air was soon gone. We all started talking about soccer instead - thankfully. The guys were pretty curious about what players Louis and I had picked out for the lineup, but both of us were pretty reluctant about revealing anything. They would have to wait until tomorrow.

"But Ryan's not playing, though, is he?" Niall asked, arching his eyebrows at the two of us.

Louis shot me a pointed look, and I let out a sigh. I was just about to open my mouth and explain when he beat me to it. "I didn't want him to play, but Curly here insisted."

After everything that had happened between him and Louis, I wasn't sure if I wanted him to play anymore, but we had already made our minds up and handed over the lineup to Coach, so it was too late to make any changes now.

The guys' mouths fell open at Louis' words, making me let out another sigh. "Look, I don't like him, alright? But he is a great player.... when he doesn't injure people," I grimaced, and Louis rolled his eyes.

"Harry, Ryan's a real ass. He doesn't even deserve to be on the team," Zayn pointed out.

"I know," I groaned, running a hand through my curls. "But now he is, and Coach likes him when he's not being a dick."

"Damn, Harry," Liam said, shaking his head in disbelief.

I pouted my lips, looking to my right where Louis was sitting. I was sure he wouldn't give me any look of reassurance because he was the one out of the five of us who hated Ryan the most right now. So, when he patted my thigh when he noticed the pout on my face, I was surprised to say the least.

I looked up at his face, only to notice that he was giving me a reassuring smile. It made my heart skip in my chest. I loved seeing him smile, especially when it was directed at me, so I couldn't help but smile back at him, dimples and all on show.

"Alright, guys. How about we play some Fifa?" Niall suggested, snapping me back to reality.

I forced my eyes off of Louis, turning to the blonde-haired guy.

"I'm in!" We all exclaimed in unison.

Niall instantly walked over to fetch the controllers from the drawer under the TV while Zayn started talking about how we were going to play. "We are five people, so two of us have to play together," he said, his eyes flickering between the four of us.

Suddenly, I could feel someone wrap an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close to their body. "I'll play with Curly. He's going to need someone to help him win anyway," Louis chuckled, and it took me at least half a minute until it registered in my brain what was happening.

I could feel my jaw drop, but I tried to pick it up as quickly as possible. I was surprised that he had just said that, but that was not going to stop me from getting back at him. "Says the one who was beaten by me the last time," I snorted, sticking my chin out.

This time, it was Louis' mouth that fell open in surprise, but he composed himself pretty quickly and reached out to flick me on the nose with the hand that wasn't around my shoulders.

"Heeey," I whined, reaching up to rub the sore spot. "What was that for?"

He tilted his head to the side. "That, my dear friend, was for more things than you can imagine."

______________________________


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 22**   
  


  
I drove Louis to the game the next day. Coach wanted his help to coach the team now that he couldn't be on the field himself, and I was going to take his place as a captain, something I was quite nervous about, but I didn't let it show.

We were currently warming up, the entire team standing in a circle and passing the ball to each other while one of us was in the middle, trying to catch it. If you did, you got to switch places with the one who had passed the ball.

The warm-up went on until the referee blew his whistle, calling me and the captain of the opposing team over to the centerline. After tossing the coin - which I won - we walked back to our separate teams that had now gathered at the side of the field to have a talk before the game would begin.

Coach and Louis had joined the circle when I got there, Coach talking about what we should think about and what our priorities were. Before we all separated, I opened my mouth to say the last words.

"Alright, guys. Let's go out there and kick some asses!"

And that was exactly what we did.

After the first half of the game, we were winning with 3-0. Liam hadn't let the other team score, and our defenders were doing a great job at keeping their attackers away from the goal. Other than that, I had scored two of the goals and Niall the other one.

I wasn't going to lie, it felt amazing. I didn't recall the last time I had felt this pumped for a game. The adrenaline was practically seeping through my veins, and I could tell I wasn't the only one feeling this way judging by the atmosphere among the team.

We were now all sitting in the locker room, chatting about the first half of the game and how we were going to keep up the good work when Louis plopped down on the bench beside me, placing his crutches on the floor.

"You're doing a great job out there, Curly," he complimented.

I turned to him, a toothy grin forming on my lips. "Thank you, Louis."

He nodded, returning the smile half-heartedly. I could tell he was sad that he couldn't play, and I felt really sorry for him. I knew better than to say anything about it, though, because he didn't like it when people sympathized with him. Instead, I patted his thigh twice to show him that I knew what he was thinking and that we all wished he could play.

"We're missing you out there, you know?" I told him honestly.

He cracked another smile, shrugging his shoulders. "I'll be back soon, though."

I nodded my head in agreement.

After that, it was time to head back to the field. We all left the locker room and got ready to play the second half of the game, which we were all just as excited for. The adrenaline was noticeable by the entire team, not just a few of us.

That was certainly what made us win the entire game. It ended 5-1, Zayn and Ryan scoring the last two goals. Coach was so happy with us, it wasn't hard to tell when we were all sitting in the locker room ten minutes after the game.

"You did amazing out there, guys. Everyone watching should be proud of you because I know I am," he smiled, looking between all of us with a bright smile on his face.

"Coach is right," I said, nodding. "We were missing our captain today, but I am proud of you guys for managing so well without him. I did the best I could, but I am sure I'm not only speaking for myself when I say that we all missed him out there with us today."

I turned to Louis who was sitting on the bench opposite me, sending him a smile. He flashed me a small one in return, shaking his head as if I was being a sappy mom. I didn't care, though. I thought he should know because it was the truth.

The other guys let out hums in agreement, the two guys sitting beside Louis patting him on the shoulder. "Thank you, guys, I appreciate it. I'll be back to kick ass soon enough," he chuckled, avoiding the glare Ryan shot him.

"Alright, guys. Off to the showers!" Coach said, clapping his hands together before leaving the locker room.

The second he shut the door behind him, chatter erupted in the room, making it impossible to make out what anyone was saying. Niall was sitting beside me, in the process of stripping off his sweaty gear.

"You were great out there, Harry," he complimented, turning to look at me sincerely.

I shook my head with a smile on my face. "Thanks. You too, mate."

He rolled his eyes. "I meant you were great at being captain, dumbhead."

I looked down at my lap. "Louis' the better captain," I said, furrowing my eyebrows.

Niall looked over at the feathery-haired boy who was talking to Zayn and Trevor. "Louis' great, but you're good too. Coach should have made you co-captains."

I shook my head, looking up at him. "No. I'm happy being alternate. Louis wouldn't be happy if he had to share the post anyway."

"Nonsense," he scoffed. "I don't know what is going on between the two of you, but something has changed, and I'm pretty sure Louis wouldn't mind sharing anything with you anymore. I mean, you're even sharing his car now," he chuckled, rolling his eyes.

I nudged him in the side, feeling my cheeks heat up a little as I looked over at the blue-eyed boy across the room who was now glancing our way. "That doesn't..." I trailed off, my eyebrows knitted together. "That's not true."

Niall let out another chuckle, tilting his head to the side. "Whatever you say, mate. Whatever you say."

\-----

During the next few days, Louis and I talked more than what we had done in what seemed like forever. It finally felt like it had done before my birthday party, before whatever happened that made him distance himself from everyone other than the fact that he had found out I was bisexual. This meant he always lingered in the car after I had driven him home after school, it meant that he insisted on joining me to my work another time, and it also meant that he made sure to include me in conversations he had with other people.

It felt amazing, I wasn't going to lie. However, I had not forgotten what Lottie had told me at the diner that day, nor what Louis had admitted about thinking no one cared about him. I had made sure not to bring it up, though, because I knew he would only get reserved if I did. I figured I would have to wait until I was sure he trusted me, and he wouldn't get up and leave as soon as I asked him about it.

It was now Friday, a week after we had hung out at Niall's place, and Louis was finally allowed to take off the bandage and start using his foot without the help of crutches again. He was ecstatic about it. The second he came back from the nurse, walking - but limping slightly - with both of his feet, he was practically beaming.

And his good mood was there to stay the entire day. When we met up at our lockers after the last class as per usual nowadays, he grabbed his bag from his locker and slung it over his shoulder, giving me a knowing look.

"See? Perfectly capable of carrying my own bag," he said, making me roll my eyes.

"I'm sure it's happy about that considering how badly you've been treating it the last couple of days," I chuckled, shaking my head.

He let out a snort, closing his locker. "I didn't lie when I said I never liked it, so I'm sure it's used to the way I treat it."

I wanted to hit his arm because did he really just say that? However, I settled with letting out a loud bark of laughter. "I can't believe we're actually talking about a bag. It's not like it has feelings," I laughed.

He shrugged his shoulders, and even if he was keeping it serious, his lips were threatening to twitch. "Who knows? This bag might do," he smirked, making me shake my head in amusement.

Before I could say anything, the lads joined us at the lockers. "What are you guys laughing at?" Zayn wondered, raising his eyebrows at us.

By now, they had all finally accepted the fact that Louis and I had grown closer and didn't question us about it any longer. Niall was still suspicious, though. I could tell by the way his gaze always followed us and lingered a bit every now and then. However, I tried not to think about it.

"Louis claims his bag has feelings, but I'm not too sure about it," I said, muffling another laugh with the back of my hand.

Louis rolled his eyes while the three guys looked at us as if we were stupid. "Damn, I'm starting to wonder if you two growing closer was a good idea," Liam sighed, shaking his head, but an obvious smile was playing on his lips.

Louis snorted, grabbing my bicep arm. "Come on, Curly. I don't have time talking to these idiots."

"Speak for yourself, Tommo. We're not the ones claiming a bag has feelings," Zayn called after us, making both me and Louis laugh.

However, we didn't get very far until Louis halted in his steps and had to slow down due to his limp. I slowed down as well so I was walking beside him, making sure I didn't pressure him into walking faster.

As soon as we got to his car, he placed a hand on his hip while extending the other one to me, his palm facing upwards. I cocked an eyebrow at him, making him tilt his head to the side, a wide grin on his face.

"I want my car back now that I can drive again."

My mouth fell open because damn, I hadn't even thought about that. I had gotten so used to joining him to his car that I didn't even think about the fact that he could drive now, much less that he might not even want me here. What if he didn't want to drive me home? I lived on the other side of town after all.

I quickly fumbled in my back pocket, fishing the car key up before handing it to him. When he noticed that I wasn't making eye contact, he narrowed his eyes a little.

"What crawled up your ass and died, Curly?" He wondered, his hand still on his stuck-out hip.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I uh, I guess I should head to the bus stop," I mumbled, nodding in the direction of it, but didn't make any move to leave.

He let out a scoff. "Nonsense, I'm driving you. You've been driving me for more than a week now, so that's the least I can do," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

I furrowed my eyebrows together. "But I've been driving your car, Louis," I pointed out, looking up at him.

He tilted his head to the side, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. You've been paying for the gas. Besides, I'm not letting you take the bus anyway. Come on, Curly, just get in the car," he told me, limping over to the driver's seat.

I bit my bottom lip, thinking about it for only a few seconds before letting out a sigh and walking over to the passenger seat. I put my bag on the car floor before getting inside, shutting the door at the same time as Louis.

He turned on the engine with a bright smile on his face. It wasn't hard to tell that he had missed driving his car because his entire aura showed it. He reached over to turn the radio on, and instantly, loud rock music started blaring through the speakers, making me press my fingers to my ears.

"For God's sake!" I groaned, making him let out a loud laugh before turning the volume down.

"Sorry, princess," he winked. "Forgot there's a sensible person in the car."

I let out a huff, crossing my arms over my chest. He let out a chuckle at my actions before pulling out of the spot and driving off to my house.

"So," he said after a couple of minutes. "Have you found any car you're interested in yet?" He asked, glancing at the side of my face.

I bit my lip, shrugging my shoulders. "There are a few, but I haven't looked too much into it," I admitted. Honestly, I hadn't really thought about it now that I had driven Louis' car. However, I was sure I was going to miss being able to drive anywhere I could now, so I knew I needed to really get to grips with it.

"Been too busy drooling over mine?" He assumed, raising his eyebrows at me.

I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips. "Maybe."

"I know. It's hard not to fall in love with it," he said nonchalantly, making me shake my head, still with the smile on my face.

"You're such a bragger."

He closed his eyes for a few seconds, his lips curling. "Oh, but you love it, Curly."

I bit my lip to prevent myself from smiling any wider. I was actually starting to think that he was right. These feelings I had for him were growing so strong that I was sure other people would have probably defined them as love.

I decided not to answer him, though. Instead, I let my gaze wander out the window, looking at the bypassing trees and houses outside.

"Can I ask you something?" Louis wondered after a while, glancing at the side of my face.

I turned to meet his gaze. "Sure."

Furrowing his eyebrows, he bit his lip. "Um, how did you cope when your dad left? I mean, wasn't it hard to process the fact that he just left without caring about staying in touch with you?"

To be honest, I never expected him to ask me something like that. I rarely talked about my dad because he was in the past. He wasn't a part of my life anymore because he had made it clear that he didn't want anything to do with it.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Of course it was tough in the beginning, but I guess you learn to live with it after a while. My mom has done an amazing job at raising me and Gemma by herself, and she's never made us feel like we needed that father figure again after he uh... he left," I explained. Although it was a long time ago, the subject was still touchy, and it was probably always going to be.

Louis nodded his head, cracking a small smile. "I see."

"Why are you asking?" I couldn't help but wonder, raising my eyebrows at him.

He shook his head. "No reason. I was just curious."

I hummed, turning my head to look out the window again. We stayed quiet for the rest of the ride, which only lasted for about five minutes. The second he pulled over outside my house, I could feel myself getting reluctant about getting out of the car. I didn't want to leave him yet. Things were so great between us now that I never really wanted to be apart from him.

He turned to look at me, raising his eyebrows at the expression on my face. "Something's on your mind, Curly?"

I met his gaze, biting my bottom lip. "You don't want to come inside? I mean, I'm not working today and we don't have soccer practice," I asked him, feeling my stomach fill with nerves. Even if Louis and I had gotten closer, we still hadn't hung out just the two of us since before my birthday.

The corners of his lips twitched at my request. "Sure, why not?"

"Great," I smiled, unbuckling my seatbelt before opening the car door, now feeling much more willing about leaving.

It wasn't until then I noticed that Gemma's car was parked in the driveway. I hoped to God she wouldn't torture me about Louis now that she knew I had feelings for him. It was going to be the first time she met him since she found out about it.

With my bag slung over my shoulder, I walked to the front door of my house, Louis following close behind. I decided to stay quiet when we entered the building in hopes of not having Gemma show up and greet us.

After tossing my bag to the side, shrugging off my jacket, and getting out of my boots, I turned to Louis who was waiting for me to take a step into the house. "Hungry?" I wondered, raising my eyebrows.

An amused smile made its way to his face. "Are you offering me your sandwiches again?" He chuckled, making me pout my lips.

"There's nothing wrong with my sandwiches. They're delicious, but we can always have something else if you don't like them," I huffed.

We started walking to the kitchen, Louis nudging me in the side playfully. "I'm just kidding, but I want to show you how real sandwiches are made."

I turned my head to look at him, my eyebrows arched. "You, making sandwiches?"

His mouth fell open. "Hey, what gives you the impression that I don't know anything about food?" He gasped, faking offended.

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "Wouldn't take you as a cook, is all," I shrugged, earning another nudge in the side, this one a little harsher than the first.

He opened his mouth to reply, but cut himself off at the sight of the girl sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on a cup of tea. She had looked up at the sound of our entrance, her eyes widening at the sight in front of her.

"Oh, Louis," Gemma gaped, her eyes flicking to me in surprise.

I bit my bottom lip, averting my gaze from her.

"Hi, Gemma," he greeted, a smile forming on his lips.

"Hey," she replied, composing herself. "It's been a while since I last saw you. Where have you been?"

Louis furrowed his eyebrows together, his eyes darting to the floor for a second before moving back up. "Um..."

"He's been injured, Gemma, and being injured makes your life shitty," I explained, finishing off for him. I could tell he didn't like the topic, and I knew why considering the way he had been acting that week.

He shot me an appreciating smile before turning back to Gemma, whose mouth had formed the shape of an 'o'. "I see. Well, it's nice to see you again," she said, her eyes flicking to me to send me a wink.

I inwardly groaned at her actions, feeling myself getting frustrated about the situation. I always knew it would be a bad idea that she knew about my feelings for Louis.

"You too," Louis smiled, seemingly not having caught the wink.

I shot Gemma a pointed look, and she let out a sigh but got up from her chair reluctantly. "I'll see you around, boys."

On her way out of the kitchen, she made sure to bump my hip with hers behind Louis' back, and yet again, I wanted to hit her. She needed to just lay off.

"So, where do you have the good stuff?" Louis hummed, walking over to the fridge curiously.

During the next half hour, Louis tried to assemble two sandwiches, and no, it didn't go very well. First, he managed to drop the ham to the floor, which he blamed on me for being in the way. Then, he squirted way too much mustard on one of them, which he blamed on 'the damn bottle'. At last, he just put so much stuff on them that they didn't even look edible. You literally couldn't cut them without everything falling out.

"And you told me the chicken stew didn't look appealing," I said, scrunching my nose up at the sandwich in front of me.

Louis rolled his eyes. "Don't knock it till you try it."

The sandwich wasn't good, just as I had assumed, and I made sure to let Louis know about it. Maybe, it would stop him from bragging so much, although I doubted it. I wouldn't let him think it was good, though. No one deserved to have that made for them.

"It wasn't that bad, though, Curly," Louis told me once we were finished eating (I left half of mine), and we were walking to my room.

"Yes, Louis, it was," I said, letting myself fall back first on my bed.

He let out a huff, walking over to the shelf beside my closet, letting his eyes wander over the picture frames and books on it. "Is this you?"

He was holding a picture of me as a kid, hugging a teddy bear to the side of my face.

  
I let out a loud groan. "No, stop, Louis."

He chuckled lightly, placing the picture frame back on the shelf. "It's cute, though. I didn't know you used to have straight hair," he smiled, striding over to sit on the edge of my bed, at my feet.

I got up in a sitting position, scooting over so I was sitting next to him. "It turned curly when I was twelve," I mumbled, looking down at my lap.

Louis let out a hum, nodding his head.

We were quiet for the next few seconds, and it was then it actually hit me that he was here, alone with me in my room, sitting on my bed. I had probably pictured this in front of me a couple of hundred times before, but I never thought it would happen in real life. It made me nervous, but I tried to remind myself that this was Louis, the Louis I had grown comfortable being around.

"Can I ask you something?" I wondered. Somehow, this felt like a good opportunity to ask him about what Lottie had mentioned at the diner. I didn't feel like he was going to run away right now.

He knitted his eyebrows together, thinking for a few seconds until he answered. "Only if I can ask you something first."

His words caught me by surprise because what could he possibly want to ask me about? "Uh, sure," I shrugged, getting more and more aware that our thighs were pressed together.

He bit his bottom lip as he turned to look at me. "How did you realize you were bisexual?"

My mouth fell open in shock. That was not what I had expected him to ask at all. It took a few seconds until I found the ability to talk again. "Um, I don't know? I guess I just knew at some point that I was attracted to both girls and boys," I shrugged, making the crease between his eyebrows deepen.

"You just knew? You never felt the need to like... try out your theory or something?"

The question that kept repeating itself in my head was; why was he asking me this? But I just couldn't ask him about it. "I uh... I may have gotten this urge to kiss a guy when I was thirteen, and I may or may not have kissed him when I brought him home to my house one time," I admitted, biting my lip.

The nerves were suffocating me, and talking about kissing people with Louis just felt like an awful idea because I could feel myself getting the same... no, _worse_ urge to kiss him as I did with the guy five years ago.

"Yeah?" He breathed, his face inching closer to mine, making my heart race in my chest. He was so close that I could almost feel his breath on my lips, and it was making it hard for me to breathe. "And you knew you were bisexual after kissing him?"

Swallowing hard, I nodded my head curtly. "I... yeah, I guess so."

He let out a hum, and the crease between his eyebrows was so deep now that I was sure it couldn't get deeper. He was looking me in the eye, and he was so close that I could barely see his entire face. I inhaled a deep breath in an attempt to stop my heart from racing, but it was to no avail. It didn't make matters better when he reached out to run his fingertips along my cheekbone, so feathery light that I could barely feel it.

His eyes dropped to my lips for a second before looking back into my irises. The action made me stop breathing altogether because I could feel it; he was going to kiss me. The Louis Tomlinson that I had been head over heels for for more than three years now was about to kiss me. Was this some kind of dream that I was going to wake up from the second our lips touched or what was it?

Before I could think more about it, Louis shut his eyes and leaned in to close the small distance between us. His soft, pink lips nudged against my own, making me release a soft gasp, a tingling sensation making its way through my body. I didn't know how to react at first, so I sat there, frozen in place as his lips moved gently against mine, almost massaging them.

The second I snapped back to reality, I started moving my lips with his, feeling a new sensation run through my body. This feeling was something I had never experienced before. It was like my entire body was on fire, yet it was basically only our lips that were touching.

I was just about to reach out to place my hand on the side of his neck when he pulled away, so quickly that I could feel my heart drop in my chest. When I fluttered my eyes open, Louis was staring at me wide-eyed, his mouth formed into the shape of an 'o'. "I-I... shit. I shouldn't... fuck, I shouldn't have done that."

He got up from the bed abruptly and started limping backward towards the bedroom door. I shook my head frantically, feeling a stab in my heart with every step he took. "Louis, wai--"

He instantly cut me off. "I'm sorry, Harry," he mumbled, looking at me with this apologetic glint in his eyes that made me want to crawl into a ball and cry my eyes out.

With that said, he opened the door and walked away, leaving me sitting on my bed with a broken heart.

_________________________-


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 23**   
  


  
I had no idea how long I sat there on the edge of my bed, staring at my closed door. I felt numb, absolutely drained of emotions. It felt like it had all been some kind of dream that I had now woken up from to realize it never happened. Except, it did happen. Louis did kiss me. He kissed me just to pull away and tell me he shouldn't have done it.

It wasn't until the entire scene played out in my head all over again that I first felt how my heart was aching in my chest. I had never felt so psychically hurt before, yet so happy at the same time. Louis had _kissed_ me. I never expected that to happen in real life, but at the same time, it felt like someone was stabbing me in the heart over and over again because he regretted it.

I couldn't help the tears that started rolling down my cheeks.

God, I was so pathetic. I was crying over a boy, a boy I was now certain I was in love with, who had also just broken my heart. He honestly couldn't have told me that he didn't feel the same in a better way. It was like a slap to the face. Was it okay to cry over that? That the one you loved didn't love you back?

Things had been going so well. Louis and I were finally close again, even closer than we had been before. Why did that have to be ruined? Why did he have to kiss me? Sure, kissing him was something I had dreamt of doing for a very long time now, but if these were the consequences that would follow, I didn't want it to happen. I'd rather have Louis in my life somehow than not have him at all.

I knew things were going to be different now. I knew he was going to start ignoring me because that was how he dealt with things in life. On the other hand, I wasn't sure if I would be able to look him in the eye after this either. It felt so embarrassing because that kiss was no doubt the best kiss of my life, and Louis didn't even enjoy it. How _could_ I look him in the eye after that?

After sitting there on my bed for a while, there was a gentle knock on my door. "H, are you in there?"

It was Gemma. I didn't want to talk to her, but I knew she wouldn't stop bugging me if I didn't reply to her.

"Yeah," I breathed, pulling my knees up to my chest so I could lean my chin on my kneecaps.

A second later, she opened the door and walked into my room, letting out a deep sigh at the sight of me on the bed. "I heard Louis leaving quite urgently earlier, so I assumed something had happened. Are you okay?"

She sat down next to me, reaching out to wrap a loose arm around my waist to show me that she was there for me. It was sweet, but I was so busy thinking of what had just happened that I barely registered it.

I looked up at her, wiping my dampened cheeks with the back of my hand. I hadn't shed many tears, but still many enough for my skin to get wet. "I don't know," I frowned because I didn't. I had no idea how I really felt. I just knew that my heart was hurting really bad.

She sent me a small smile, pressing her lips together. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Looking away from her again, I stared at the shelf where the picture of myself as a kid that Louis had shown me earlier was placed, staring me right in the face. I swallowed hard, leaning down to rest my chin on my kneecaps again. "He kissed me," I mumbled.

I could practically hear how her jaw dropped, but she stayed quiet, waiting for me to continue.

"But he... he pulled away after only a few seconds and told me he shouldn't have done it. Then he left," I grimaced. It hurt to even explain what happened, and it didn't make matters better that my lips were still tingling from the gentle touch of his.

Gemma let out a sigh, squeezing my hip in reassurance. "I'm sorry, H."

Shaking my head, I pressed my forehead against my knees. After taking a few breaths, I looked up at her, feeling tears pricking my eyes. "It just... it hurts so much," I breathed. "Things were going so well."

She leaned down to rest her head against my shoulder. "Yeah, I saw that. You two were in your own little world when you walked into the kitchen," she mumbled.

I didn't say anything. Instead, I exhaled a deep breath, hugging my knees closer to my body. "We'll never be like that again."

She lifted her head from my shoulder to look at me with a scowl on her face. "You don't know that."

I let out a snort, flashing her a fake smile. "Yes, I do. He always ignores his problems no matter what, so I'm sure he is not going to talk to me, Gems. I know he won't," I muttered.

Gemma bit her bottom lip, the crease still prominent between her eyebrows. "I'm quite sure you mean more to him than you think. I don't know what's going on inside his head at the moment, or why he told you the kiss shouldn't have happened, but he likes you, H. I mean, I do have eyes."

I pursed my lips, just then remembering what he had asked me just before he leaned in to kiss me. "He asked me how I realized I was bisexual," I said, furrowing my eyebrows together. "Why did he do that?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "He did that?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah, just before he kissed me."

Her eyes widened. "Do you think... do you think he's questioning his sexuality?"

I bit my bottom lip, thinking about it. Could that be it? Was that why he had kissed me? To know whether he liked guys or not? Well, in that case, he must have found out that he didn't, considering he told me it shouldn't have happened and then left.

"Then he must've realized that he didn't. He left, after all," I muttered.

She let out a hum, reaching up to pinch her chin with her forefinger and thumb. "Or, he liked it but didn't want to admit it."

Letting out a snort, I shook my head. "Don't say that just to get my hopes up. It's rude."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not. It could be the truth, H. I mean, we don't really know now, do we?"

_No, but he did leave me with a broken heart, and nothing can change that._

"I guess not."

\-----

Things turned out exactly how I expected them to. On Monday morning when I got to school after taking the school bus, Louis didn't even look at me as I arrived at my locker. All the boys were there, everyone acknowledging me when I showed up apart from him. Instead, he slammed his locker shut, muttering a goodbye before walking off, leaving the boys confused, and me just very sad.

Looking down at the floor, I put my combination in and opened my locker, shoving my bag into it carelessly. I could feel the guys' gazes on me, boring holes into the side of my face, but I didn't turn to meet them.

"Did something happen between you two?" Liam asked, and I mentally sighed.

I didn't want to explain what happened. I didn't want to talk about it. Hell, I didn't even want to _think_ about it. I just wanted everything to be normal. I wanted Louis to greet me with a smile on his face, the crinkles by his eyes showing and his eyes sparkling just upon seeing me, just like he had done the last couple of days.

Shutting my locker, I eventually turned to meet their confused gazes. "No, everything's fine," I said monotonously, walking past them to head to my Economics class.

I didn't pay much attention during that hour, but I was pretty sure Emily tried to catch my attention at some point, although I didn't really acknowledge it. However, she must have noticed that I wasn't in the mood to talk because she turned back in her seat to keep working in a matter of seconds.

When the bell rang, I gathered my books and left the classroom, walking to my locker while facing the floor. I could feel eyes on me the entire way there - more than I was used to - but I tried not to think about it as I dragged my feet along the floor.

Only Niall and Liam were standing at the lockers when I arrived, chatting closely with each other. When I got there, however, they both turned to me with small, hesitant smiles on their faces.

"Hey, mate," Liam greeted.

"Hi," I said, cracking a smile of my own.

Niall let out a deep sigh as I walked past them to open my locker. "Look, Harry. We don't want to seem nosy, but both you and Louis are acting strange. You have barely talked to us today, and that's not typically you. Besides, you won't even look at each other. I mean, Louis was just here but left as soon as he saw you approaching us."

I could feel my heart drop in my chest at his words. Louis left as soon as he saw me? I shouldn't be surprised, but it still hurt. So much.

Biting my bottom lip, I looked down at the floor. "It's nothing, really. You don't have anything to be worried about," I tried to reassure them, but the concern didn't leave their faces.

Liam opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by his girlfriend who took him by surprise by hugging him from behind. "Morning, babe," she greeted, leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek.

An immediate smile broke out on his face as he turned around, giving her a hug and a peck on the lips. "Hey, love."

Their affection made me feel sick to my stomach, but only because it was too much for me to handle after what happened Friday afternoon. Otherwise, I was practically in love with their relationship. They were just the perfect couple, always showing off just how much they loved and cared for each other. I wished I had that.

They left us only a minute later, leaving me alone with Niall who was watching my every move. After a few seconds, he inhaled a deep breath, looking at the side of my face. "Is there something going on between you and Louis?" He asked bluntly, catching me off guard completely.

I turned to him wide-eyed. "What?"

Niall shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just... I have seen the way you look at him, Harry," he explained, flashing me this knowing smile. "It's like he's your entire world. I mean, I could only wish for someone to look at me like that. So, when you guys grew closer, I just assumed..." He trailed off, glancing at me.

I didn't know what to say or what to do. I was shocked. I had no idea Niall knew that I liked him. I mean, sure, I knew he was suspicious about me and Louis, but _this_? Was I really that obvious?

Snapping myself back to reality, I finally managed to close my gaping mouth. "I... shit," I said, running a hand through my curls. "Am I really that obvious?" I asked, looking at him desperately but at the same time worriedly. What if more people knew about it?

He tilted his head to the side, flashing me a small smile. "I guess you'd have to be observant, which I have been, but no, I don't think anyone knows."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God."

He pursed his lips before raising his eyebrows at me questioningly. "So, does all this mean yes?"

My eyes widened all over again as I shook my head frantically. "No!" I burst out. "I mean, no, there's nothing going on between me and Louis," I said, a crease forming between my eyebrows as I thought about our kiss.

 _Definitely_ nothing going on between us.

Niall narrowed his eyes in suspicion, making me look away from him while biting my lip. Before he could open his mouth to ask me another question, I beat him to it. "Are you okay with me uh... me liking Louis?" I wondered. It felt weird to talk about this with Niall. Hell, it still felt weird to talk about my infatuation with Louis with _anyone_.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "You mean if I'm okay with you liking a guy?" He wondered, and I shrugged my shoulders while nodding my head.

"Yeah, I guess?"

A genuine smile formed on his lips as he let out a light chuckle. "Of course, Harry. You could like whoever you want and I'd still be your friend... except for my mom, though," he said. "That's just a big no," he warned me playfully, making me crack a small smile.

"Thank you, Niall," I said honestly.

He rolled his eyes. "You don't have to thank me, Harry," he told me, patting me on the arm. "So, does Louis know how you feel about him?"

I blinked my eyes, swallowing hard. "Uh, no."

"No?" He asked me in shock.

I shook my head, averting my gaze. "He's straight, Niall. We all know he is."

He let out a scoff. "That's a lame excuse. I bet he would go gay for you, you irresistible son of a bitch," he smirked, making me let out a chuckle.

"You're an idiot."

Niall shook his head, smiling. "No, but really, Harry. You shouldn't waste your feelings. That would be really stupid, don't you think?" He said, raising his eyebrows at me.

I looked down at my shoes, shrugging my shoulders. "It doesn't really matter, though. I already know he doesn't like me," I muttered.

He tilted his head to the side. "Does this have to do with why you two are ignoring each other?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

The exact same second I opened my mouth to reply, the bell rang, which meant I didn't have time to answer his question. "I'll see you later, Niall. Thank you for... being accepting," I said, cracking a small smile.

He reciprocated the smile. "Of course."

And with that said, we both went out separate ways.

I spent the next couple of hours thinking about how everyone around me seemed to be so accepting of my sexuality. Part of the reason I never came out was that I thought the guys wouldn't understand. I thought they would mock me for not being like them, thinking and talking about big boobs and butts all the time. But maybe I was wrong? Neither Louis nor Niall judged me, rather the opposite. It made me feel happy somehow, even if happiness was the last thing I was expressing at the moment with everything else going on.

When it was time for lunch, I made my way to the cafeteria after getting rid of my books. I didn't meet any of the guys on my way there, but they were all sitting at a table in the crowded room when I got there, Louis included.

I tried not to look at him as I sat down beside Liam and Zayn, opposite him and Niall. I could feel Niall's gaze on me as I unwrapped my sandwich, but I avoided him too. Liam and Zayn instantly got suspicious, sensing the tension in the air.

"Alright, what is going on?" Zayn asked, looking between me and Louis, then at Niall who shrugged his shoulders. The black-haired boy let out a sigh, slumping his shoulders when he realized he wasn't going to get an answer.

Only a few minutes later, we were accompanied by Alice, Evelyn, the blonde-haired girl Louis had kissed at my birthday party, and another brunette. They all got a chair to sit on, Evelyn squeezing herself in between me and Zayn, the blonde girl next to Louis (obviously), Alice next to Liam, and the other girl beside Niall.

"Hey, Harry," Evelyn greeted, flashing me a small smile.

I turned to her, my lips curling slightly. "Hi, Evelyn."

Even if I wasn't feeling the best, I was happy to see her. It had been quite some time since I last talked to her.

"How have you been doing?" She wondered. "I've barely seen you since your birthday party, which was like two weeks ago."

I shrugged my shoulders, glancing at the feathery-haired boy across from me who was now talking to the blonde girl. I couldn't help the jealousy that welled up inside me. Why was it so easy for girls? Why couldn't it as easy for me to be like that with Louis?

Shaking myself back to reality, I turned to Evelyn who was looking at me questioningly. "I've been great. Been quite busy with soccer and work, though," I explained. "You?"

"I see. Well, I've been good too. I've mostly just been hanging with the girls and done my homework. I'm so glad we're graduating soon," she sighed in relief.

I nodded my head in agreement. "Yeah. It's going to be great not having to do any school work for a while."

She tilted her head to the side. "So, you are planning on going to uni then?" She assumed, a curious glint in her eyes.

I pursed my lips, shrugging my shoulders. To be honest, I hadn't really thought about it too much. The scholarship that Coach had brought up had barely even crossed my mind since that day, let alone another University. Nevertheless, I had always pictured myself going to uni after high school. "I don't know, but I guess so. Are you?"

Evelyn nodded her head with a smile on her face. "Yeah. I'm thinking of moving to Manchester... if I get in, that is. I've kind of always wanted to move there."

I understood where she got that from. Holmes Chapel was a tiny place in comparison to Manchester, and Manchester was the closest big city. So, if you didn't want to move too far, that was the perfect place to go.

"I love Manchester," I grinned, making a smile form on her lips.

"You should apply there too, then," she said playfully, nudging me in the side.

I let out a light chuckle, my lips twitching. "Yeah, we'll see."

It wasn't until then I could feel someone staring at me. When I looked up, a pair of ocean blue eyes that I had grown so fond of during the last couple of years locked with mine. His jaw was clenched tightly as this dark look in his eyes appeared. It made me want to look away.

Before I had time to do so, though, he got up from his chair with a loud screeching noise and left, not even bothering to push his chair back in as he stomped away without a word.

______________________________


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 24**   
  
  


  
When the last bell of the day rang, I wanted nothing but to go home. If I were to decide, I would have stayed home the entire afternoon, but I wasn't that lucky. I had soccer practice, and it was going to be Louis' first day back on the field. I wasn't really looking forward to having to be so close to him, so the thought of staying home, watching a rom-com with mom was very inviting right now.

With a deep sigh, I closed my locker. Louis had already left, and I knew this because the second I arrived at the lockers, I could see him walking towards the exit. It made me so sad. I hated how things were between us now. The silence was killing me. I wanted to go up and talk to him, make a joke to turn those lips into a beautiful smile just like I had been able to do just a couple of days ago.

"Hey, mate."

I turned around abruptly only to come face-to-face with Niall. "Hi," I mumbled.

He tilted his head to the side, pursing his lips. "Come on, let's go to the bus stop," he said, nodding in the direction of the exit.

I bit my bottom lip, letting out a sigh before agreeing with him. We started walking in silence until Niall decided to break it once we came outside. "I don't know what happened between you and Louis, and you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I think you should talk to him. I mean, it's obvious that both of you are bothered by whatever happened," he told me, glancing at the side of my face.

I furrowed my eyebrows, shaking my head. "I'm not going to talk to him, Niall."

He let out a sigh, running a hand through his blonde hair. "Well, one of you has to eventually because this is affecting us lads as well. I don't mean to sound selfish, but we're all best mates. If two of us refuse to talk to each other, things are going to be tense between us all," he explained.

I nibbled on my bottom lip, looking into the distance. After a while, I finally opened my mouth to reply. "He kissed me, alright? He kissed me and then told me that he shouldn't have done it. Do you understand why I can't speak to him now?" I blurted out.

His eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"I didn't want to tell you," I muttered. "I didn't want anyone to know because it's embarrassing since I know it meant so much more to me than it did to him."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "But why did he do it if he was only going to regret it afterward?" He wondered.

I turned to look at him. "That's what I'd like to know, Niall. He just asked me how I realized I was bisexual, and--"

"Wait, so you're like... into other guys as well? Not just Louis?" He asked me, cutting me off.

I looked at him for a second before answering. "Well, I mean, I've been with other guys, but I've never really liked anyone before Louis. He's the first person I've ever had these strong feelings for," I mumbled.

His mouth formed the shape of an 'o'. "And Louis knows you're bisexual then? How did he find out?"

I scrunched my nose up. "He saw me kissing a guy at my birthday party, so I couldn't exactly deny it when he asked me about it," I explained.

"I see," he mumbled. "Alright, keep going."

I took a deep breath. "Okay, so he asked me how I realized I was bisexual, and I told him the story about when I was younger and kissed this guy only to realize that I liked it. Then he just leaned in and kissed me."

Niall pursed his lips. "Alright, that sounds quite suspicious if you're asking me. I definitely think you should talk to him, Harry. You have to get answers as to why he did what he did. Otherwise, it's going to bug you forever. Besides, you two really have to sort things out. Your silence and behavior towards each other aren't healthy for either of you."

I let out a sigh, looking down at the ground. "I don't know, Niall. To be honest, I just want to dig a hole in the ground and bury myself alive. Things are just so awkward, and I'm not sure I'll be able to look him in the eye after what happened. It probably wouldn't have been so difficult if I didn't feel anything for him, but now I do, and I can't watch him when he tells me that he doesn't feel the same. I just can't."

Niall placed a hand on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks. "Look, Harry, I understand that it's not easy, but think about it. Maybe it's better to talk to him so you'll know the reason he kissed you. I mean, he just got up and left the cafeteria earlier when he saw you talking to Evelyn. Obviously, he must feel something at least."

I bit my bottom lip, furrowing my eyebrows together. "I don't know," I mumbled. "I'll think about it."

A small smile formed on his lips. "Great."

Right then, my bus showed up around the corner, which made me start moving towards the bus stop again. Niall's was across the street, so we had to separate in order to get on the right vehicle.

"Wait!" He called out before I had even taken two steps.

I turned around, looking at him curiously. "Huh?"

His eyebrows were furrowed as he nibbled on his bottom lip. "Why did you never say anything about your sexuality?"

I was slightly taken aback by his question, my eyes widening. "Oh, uh..." I trailed off, scratching the back of my neck. "I didn't think you would... approve? I mean, all you guys basically do is talk about girls, and I thought you would think I was weird if you knew I was attracted to both sexes. I'm sorry," I grimaced.

Niall shook his head, a smile making its way to his face. "No, it's okay, I was just wondering. You do know you can tell me anything, though, right? I would never judge you."

I cracked a small smile of my own, looking at him sincerely. "Thank you, it means a lot."

"Of course," he replied, reaching out to pat me on the arm. "We're not best mates for nothing."

"I guess not," I grinned.

It wasn't until then I noticed that the bus had pulled over and people were entering it, only a few of them still standing outside. "Shit," I muttered under my breath. "I'll see you later, Niall," I called out as I started running towards the bus, hoping to God that I would catch it on time.

"Sure, bye!"

Luckily, I managed to get onto the bus just as the doors were about to close. It made me let out a sigh of relief, and I flashed the bus driver a small smile before moving down the aisle to find an empty seat.

I really hoped this day wouldn't get more eventful because I was positive I wouldn't be able to handle that.

\-----

During the short time I was home before leaving again for practice, I thought a lot about what Niall had said. I did want to get answers as to why Louis had kissed me, and our silence was killing me, but I didn't know how I would be able to look him in the eye again. I couldn't even picture it in my mind, let alone see it happening in real life.

I was glad to have such a supportive friend like Niall. I never imagined that his reaction to finding out I was bisexual would be this good. Sure, he had been my closest friend out of all four of them before Louis and I grew closer, but he was also so into girls that I never thought he would approve of me liking guys, let alone figure it out on his own. He proved me wrong, though, and I was nothing but happy about that.

When it was eventually time for me to leave for practice, I almost did as I previously wanted to do; stayed home to wait for mom to get here so we could watch a movie together, but I forced myself to get changed into my soccer gear and pack my bag instead.

I was just about to exit the house when the front door swung open from the outside, catching me off guard.

"Oh, hey, H. You heading to practice?" Gemma asked, raising her eyebrows at me questioningly.

"Hi. Uh, yeah. Don't want to miss the bus," I told her, trying to walk past her, but she stopped me by placing a hand on my chest.

"Not so fast," she said, narrowing her eyes at me. After a few seconds, her features relaxed and her narrowed eyes were soon replaced by a smile instead. Reaching her hand out, she tilted her head to the side. "You'll need this. Your hair is growing way too long, brother."

I looked at the hair tie in her extended hand, trying to process what she just said before taking it from her. "Thanks. But hey, there's nothing wrong with my hair. I like it this way," I pouted, making her roll her eyes.

"Bye!"

The pout stayed on my face as I said goodbye to her in return. I then finally left the house, jogging over to the bus stop that was on the other side of the street. While I waited for the bus to show up, I reached up to put the curls on top of my head in a little bun so they wouldn't get in my face while running around on the soccer field.

Once the bus showed up, I got on it and sat down in an empty seat. The bus ride lasted for about twenty minutes until it pulled over at the stop closest to the gym. There was still a five-minute walk there, but it wasn't that bad. Honestly, I wanted it to take as much time as possible because the last thing I wanted was to arrive so early that there was a possibility Louis and I could be the first people there. Immature, I know.

It turned out I wasn't the first person to show up in the locker room. Louis was there, but so were at least ten other people, which made me let out a sigh of relief as I made my way over to one of the benches where there was a lot of space.

I started taking off my jacket and shoes to put on my shin caps and cleats. As I did this, I could feel someone's eyes on me. I didn't have to look up to know who it was. My gut always knew when Louis was looking at me.

Hesitantly, I looked up at him, meeting his blue eyes with mine. We stayed like that for a short while, just looking into each other's eyes until I had to avert my gaze. It was _so_ hard to look at him now after the kiss.

The next second, the door of the locker room swung open by Niall, Liam and Zayn. Liam and Zayn were laughing at something while Niall had a pout on his face.

"Hey, it's not my fault I was born with brown hair. I have no other choice but to dye it if I want it to be blonde."

Liam and Zayn rolled their eyes, sitting down on the bench next to Louis. Niall let out a huff, walking over to sit down beside me. "Are they making fun of your hair?" I asked raising my eyebrows at him.

"Yeah," he pouted. "They're saying that only girls dye their hair, fucking dickheads."

I let out a light chuckle, shaking my head. "Don't listen to them, Niall. They're only trying to mess with you."

He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring in their direction. "I know. They should be aware that they're going to get back for it, though."

The smile stayed on my face as I leaned down to tie my cleats. Soon enough, it was time to go out to the field, where Coach was waiting for us, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Alright boys, I hope you're all in a good mood and are excited about today's training. Tomlinson is now back on the field, which means he is going to be the captain of the next match," he explained, giving Louis a look, who nodded his head curtly. "Also, I want to remind you that if anyone breaks the rules about injuring someone on the team intentionally again, you're off, alright?"

We all nodded our heads, Ryan rolling his eyes as he did so. It made me feel a little uneasy because Ryan couldn't be trusted whatsoever. Only he knew what was going on inside that head of his. It didn't seem like anyone else noticed his actions, though, and we were all soon off to start warming up by running three laps around the field.

The first half of the training turned out quite okay. We mostly practiced long shots and dribbling, where Louis outshone as usual. He had always been the best on the team at making his way past players while controlling the ball.

"Alright guys, we are now going to play a match with seven people on each team where the first to score wins. Tomlinson, Styles, you make the teams," Coach announced.

I chose both Liam and Niall on mine while Louis got Zayn. Ryan was chosen last, which he could only blame himself for, and since I was the first one to start picking, Louis got him on his team.

When I watched Ryan walk over to Louis, I could see that he was pissed about being picked last, but he didn't make any comment about it. Instead, he just walked over to Louis' team, sending both me and Louis a glare. The action made me feel uneasy again, but I tried not to put too much thought into it. It wasn't like he was going to do anything now that he had already gotten so many warnings from Coach anyway.

We started playing after that, and it didn't take long after Coach blew his whistle that Niall snitched the ball from Trevor and dribbled past Tristan. He then looked up to pass the ball over to Eric. Eric started running towards the opponents' goal, so I made sure that I was free, hoping that he would see me and pass me the ball.

Unfortunately, Louis snitched it from him before he had time to look up, making me let out an exasperated sigh. Louis started running towards Liam with quick and graceful strides, no one having time to catch up to him until he was close enough to swing his leg back and kick the ball towards Liam.

The goalie caught it in his hands securely, though, and sent Louis a wink. In return, Louis sent him a glare before turning around and jogging back towards the centerline. Liam tossed the ball to Niall, who quickly passed the ball over to me. I started running towards the opponents' goal, my eyes so focused on what to do next that it completely caught me off guard when someone pushed me so hard that I flew forward and landed in a heap on the fake grass.

I grimaced at the pain that instantly made its way down my spine, rolling over to face the ground in order to not yell out.

"What the actual fuck?"

The sound of footsteps getting closer made me turn around to see what was going on. Louis was storming over to the person who had pushed me to the ground, and to no one's surprise, it was Ryan. Louis' eyes were dark with anger as he got into Ryan's face, pushing at his chest.

"I said, what the _fuck_ do you think you're doing, huh?" He snapped.

Ryan stumbled a bit, but he didn't look scared at all. In fact, he was looking at him in amusement, which only caused Louis to get angrier. "Aw, are you standing up for your little boy? Isn't that cute? So you two are actually fucking now then?" He taunted, wiggling his eyebrows with a smirk on his face as he looked between me and Louis.

His comment made Louis see red. He swung his fist back, ready to beat the shit out of Ryan. Before he could do so, though, Zayn grabbed a hold of his biceps from behind and pulled him back. "Louis, he's not worth it," he tried to calm him.

Louis breathed heavily through his nostrils, his gaze flicking between me and Ryan with a frown between his eyebrows. He inhaled a deep breath, wriggling out of Zayn's hold before stomping away without looking back.

"Ryan, get over here!" Coach called out sternly, making the said boy roll his eyes before doing as told.

Once I had processed what had just happened, I noticed that a hand was extended right in front of me. Blinking my eyes, I looked up to see Niall's blue eyes staring down at me, a sympathetic look on his face. "You okay, Harry?"

I looked at his hand for a couple of seconds before taking it in mine and letting him help me to my feet. He dusted off my shoulders, sending me a small smile.

Honestly, I couldn't feel any pain anymore, and I wondered if that was because I had been so shocked by the scene that had just played out in front of my eyes. "I'm uh... I'm okay," I mumbled, looking over his shoulder to see if Louis was still on the field or if he had left altogether.

"He went to the locker rooms," Niall said, as if reading my mind.

I swallowed hard, my eyes finding their way back to his face. He sent me a reassuring smile, patting me on the arm softly. "I think what just happened only added to the list of why you guys need to talk to each other, Harry. You should really take my advice."

Letting out a sigh, I nodded my head. "Yeah," I mumbled. "Maybe you're right."

_______________________________


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 25**   
  
  


  
As soon as practice was finished, we all headed to the locker room. Louis hadn't shown up again after the incident, which made me a little confused. Was he really that upset about what Ryan said? I mean, sure, it was made as an insult, but was the idea of us together so disgusting that he couldn't even stay on the field? Okay, so the answer to that question was probably yes. I mean, he did regret the kiss, after all, so of course the thought of us being together didn't sit well with him.

Niall noticed that I was being quiet when we got to the locker room, but he didn't say anything. He just gave me another sympathetic smile and patted me on the shoulder reassuringly.

It took some time for me to shower and get changed because I didn't feel like hurrying. I figured I would probably miss the bus I usually took and would have to wait for the next one to arrive, but I couldn't care less.

Once I was finished, I noticed that I wasn't the last person to leave the locker room even if I had taken my time, but Niall, Zayn and Liam were all gone. Niall had made sure to ask me if it was okay for him to leave without me, to which I had just waved a hand in dismissal. I was sure his company wouldn't make things better at the moment anyway.

I slung my heavy bag over my shoulder before leaving the gym, running a hand through my damp curls. It wasn't as freezing outside now that it had been on my birthday, so my hair didn't freeze to ice the second I exited the gym, but it wasn't exactly warm either, so I made sure to hug my winter jacket closer to my body.

I was just about to pass by the parking lot when I noticed an oddly familiar car parked there. There weren't many cars around, so it wasn't hard to point it out. Squinting my eyes to get a better look at it, I noticed that someone was sitting in the driver's seat. Why the hell was he still here?

Instantly feeling a knot form in my stomach, I contemplated what to do. Should I go over, take Niall's advice and talk to him, or should I leave it to another day? Would he even want to talk to me if I tried to?

I really wanted to chicken out, but I couldn't bear the thought of being like this with him one more day, so I made my mind up and started walking towards the familiar black sports car. My heart was thumping loudly in my chest, and the thumping only increased the closer I got to the vehicle. The second I reached out to grab the door handle of the passenger door, I almost turned around and ran away, but I forced myself to open it and slide into the seat, dropping my bag on the car floor.

I felt sick to my stomach as I turned my gaze to look at Louis. His face had snapped in my direction the second I opened the door, and his mouth was now hanging open. However, he quickly composed himself and replaced the shocked expression with a frown.

"What are you doing here?"

I took a deep breath, trying to swallow down the lump I had in my throat. "I... We need to talk."

The crease between his eyebrows deepened at my words, and he turned in his seat to face the windshield. "We do?"

His answer almost made me angry. "Yes, Louis. We do."

He let out a sigh, closing his eyes for a few seconds before opening them again. "Alright, go on," he muttered, making me swallow hard.

He wanted me to talk when he was the one being secretive here? I wanted to know why he kissed me. I wanted to know why he regretted it, and I wanted to know why he had stood up for me against Ryan. What did I have to explain?

Biting my bottom lip, I turned in my seat so I was facing the windshield as well. Then I said the words that I had secretly been wanting to say to him all day.

"I... I miss you."

He snapped his head to me again, looking at me in slight shock. He searched my face for something I didn't know, but his gaze kept wandering over my features until he let out a sigh, running a hand through his fringe. "I'm sorry I fucked things up," he mumbled, turning back to face forward.

I took a deep breath. "You didn't fuck things up, Louis. I just... I just want to know why you did it," I mumbled.

My heart started thumping in my chest again, but this time it was because I was nervous about what he was going to say. Did I even want to know what was about to escape his mouth?

He bit his lip, looking out the side window before turning to look at me. "I... I don't know. It was stupid. I really shouldn't have done it."

I could feel my heart drop to the pit of my stomach.

_I shouldn't have done it._

Of _course_ he was going to repeat the sentence that had broken me three days ago. It wasn't enough to break me once, he just had to do it twice.

Looking down at my lap, I nodded my head slowly. I didn't say anything because I didn't know what to say. What _could_ I say? That I wished he would have wanted to kiss me? No. He would never want to be in my company again.

"Can't we just forget it happened? I hate how things are between us now, and I... I miss you too," he admitted, looking me in the eye pleadingly.

Did he think I never wanted that kiss to happen? Or why did he make it sound like that? Maybe he just wanted us both to forget about it so we could go back to how we had been before the incident.

Knitting my eyebrows together, I nodded slowly. "Yeah... uh, sure," I muttered, avoiding eye contact. There was no way I could look him in the eye while telling him it was okay for me to only be friends with him.

"You don't sound convincing," he pointed out, and I could see him fiddling with his fingers through the corner of my eye.

I bit my bottom lip, looking out the passenger window. "I do mean it. It's just... I don't want you to feel like it ruined things between us if you think that, because it didn't, alright?"

Once I had finished the sentence, I turned to look at him only to notice that he was looking at me as well. A small smile broke out on his face at my words, his eyes glowing from the few lights in the car.

"It didn't?"

I shook my head, flashing him a small smile of my own. "No."

"So we're friends?" He questioned hopefully, making me grimace inwardly.

Niall's words went on repeat in my head. The way he had told me not to waste what I felt for Louis, that I should confess my feelings for him. But I couldn't do it. If the only way for me to be close to Louis was to be his friend, then I was willing to go along with it because I just couldn't picture my life without him.

I could tell that my silence made him uncomfortable because he started squirming in his seat with an evident frown on his face.

"Yeah, we're friends," I said, cracking a smile.

His eyes widened a little, but he quickly composed himself. "That's... great. That's awesome," he smiled, this time genuinely.

Even if his words made my heart hurt, his smile made my insides melt. I had missed that smile so much during the last couple of days. I think it was safe to say that I basically lived for that smile gracing his pink, beautiful lips.

"Alright, I should probably drive you home now. It's getting pretty late after all," he said, turning on the engine.

I didn't expect him to drive me home when I first decided to get into his car, but now I was nothing but thankful that he offered because I was sure I had missed the next bus by now as well.

"So, how's your back?" He asked me after a few seconds of silence, glancing at the side of my face.

At first, I was confused by his question, but then I remembered that Ryan had pushed me to the ground during practice. I really couldn't feel any pain at all anymore. "Oh, that. It doesn't hurt anymore," I said truthfully.

He raised his eyebrows at me in surprise. "Really? It looked pretty bad when it happened," he frowned, biting his bottom lip.

I shrugged my shoulders. "It hurt at the moment, but it disappeared pretty quickly," I admitted, remembering how the pain had disappeared as soon as Louis had caused that scene with Ryan.

"That's good," he mumbled, gripping the wheel tightly.

We were quiet for the next five minutes, and during that time, I contemplated whether I should ask him about the incident or not. Then I realized he wouldn't answer me if he didn't want to. "Why did you do it?" I asked him, turning to look at his profile.

I could see his jaw clench for a few seconds until it relaxed. "What do you mean?"

He knew what I meant. It wasn't hard to tell by the look on his face, but I decided to explain anyway. "Why did you stand up for me?"

Louis turned to meet my gaze before looking back at the road. "Ryan's a sick fucking idiot," he muttered.

I rolled my eyes at his comment. "I could have handled it, though."

He gritted his teeth, clenching his hands around the wheel again. "It doesn't matter."

Furrowing my eyebrows together, I looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean 'it doesn't matter'?" I wondered.

He turned to meet my gaze for a few seconds before shaking his head and facing the windshield again. "I couldn't help it."

"You couldn't help it?" I repeated in confusion because I didn't understand what he was getting at.

Letting out a deep sigh, he swallowed hard. "I couldn't fucking watch you be pushed like that without doing anything about it," he blurted, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

My mouth fell open in shock. Did he really mean that? He had actually gotten riled up because Ryan had hurt me specifically? Did that mean he wouldn't have done it if it was someone else?

"Oh," was the only thing that left my mouth, too shocked to say anything else.

Louis snapped his head to see my reaction, knitting his eyebrows together. "You think that's weird?"

I shook my head vigorously. "No, I'm just surprised, is all. I feel honored if anything. However, I am still sure I could have handled it myself," I said, a smile threatening to take over my features.

He raised his eyebrows at me. "Really now? You do know you were lying on the ground, right? You were at a disadvantage there already," he pointed out.

"Heeey," I whined, crossing my arms over my chest. "That doesn't mean I couldn't have handled the situation. I'll have you know I'm quite strong."

"Yeah?" He asked in amusement, his eyebrows arched. "Is that a challenge?"

I looked him up and down, knowing very well that he was stronger than I was even though I was taller than him, so I shook my head and stuck my chin out. "No, it is not."

He let out a loud bark of laughter, throwing his head back against the headrest. "That's what I thought."

I sent him a glare. "Oh, shut up."

He smirked at me, shaking his head in amusement.

After that, we were quiet for another while. I felt giddy about the fact that we were talking and getting along again, so I couldn't help it when I reached out to turn the radio on. I felt Louis glancing at me through the corner of my eye the entire time.

The first song that came on was 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' by Cyndi Lauper. My eyes widened as I felt excitement well up inside me. Without hesitating, I turned the volume up so it was blaring through the speakers. It was so loud that I was sure people could hear it from the outside.

"Oh daddy dear, you know you're still number one, but girls, they wanna have fun. Oh, girls just want to have... That's all they really waaaaant, some fuuuuuun. When the working day is done. Oh, girls, they wanna have fun. Oh girls just wanna have fun," I screamed out with a smile on my face, doing a little dance with my arms.

I glanced at him through the corner of my eye to see his reaction only to notice that he was giving me a fond smile while shaking his head in amusement. It made the smile on my own face widen, and my arm movements escalated.

As soon as the song was over, I turned the volume down and looked at him again. "And here I was, thinking you hated loud music," he chuckled.

I tilted my head to the side. "You also thought you could make good sandwiches, but I guess you are wrong about many things," I joked, making him let out a gasp.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with my sandwiches," he whined, sticking his bottom lip out.

I let out a snort. "You literally dropped the ham to the floor, Louis. You screwed up there already."

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "That was just bad luck."

Tilting my head to the side, I let a smile form on my lips. "You wish. That sandwich wasn't edible, and you know it," I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I ate it," he stated, shrugging his shoulders.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Only because you didn't want to admit defeat."

He raised his eyebrows at me. "If I remember correctly, you ate it too."

"Because I was hungry and I didn't want to seem rude. Besides, I only ate half of it," I reminded him.

Louis rolled his eyes, turning to face the road with a smile on his lips. "I have a feeling you won't stop until you win this argument," he chuckled.

My lips twitched at his words. "You're right, I won't."

Right then, Louis turned the corner to my street and pulled over outside the blue house. The second the car came to a halt, I turned to look at him, noticing that he was biting his bottom lip. I opened my mouth to ask him what was on his mind, but he beat me to it.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow morning, yeah?"

I felt butterflies erupt in my stomach at his words, and I let a smile spread on my face. "If you insist."

The corners of his lips twitched. "I'm going to show you what real music is then because whatever that was you played before is not called music compared to mine," he winked.

I scrunched my nose up. "Well, I'm sure I'm definitely going to be awake after that."

He let out a chuckle, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. "I promise it's not that bad."

"We'll see about that."

With that said, I opened the car door and was just about to close it behind me when he stopped me in my movements.

"Oh, and Curly?"

I leaned down to get a look at his face. "Yeah?"

"Goodnight," he smiled, making my heart flutter in my chest.

"Goodnight," I replied breathlessly before shutting the door behind me.

I almost sprinted up to the porch, my bag slung over my shoulder as I heard him speed off in the distance. That boy really knew how to get to my heart. The funny thing about it was that I was positive he didn't even have to try because just the simplest things made my heart go crazy.

The second I entered the house, I noticed that Gemma sitting in the living room, her legs propped up on the coffee table as per usual.

"Where on earth have you been? I've tried calling you like five times," she burst out, looking at me with wide eyes.

I bit my bottom lip, walking further into the room to sit down at the edge of the couch. "Um, I kind of missed the bus because I stayed behind to talk to Louis," I explained, scratching the back of my neck.

Her mouth fell open in shock. "You talked to Louis? Did you sort things out?"

Averting my gaze, I let out a sigh. "I... Yeah, kind of."

I was happy that Louis and I were talking again, I really was. However, somewhere deep inside me, something was telling me that no matter how many times I tried to convince myself that I would be fine with being his friend, I knew that I would always want more. It was easy to say that I would be okay with it when the options were either talking to him or not talking to him at all, but if I really thought about it, I knew that I would never be able to watch him be with someone else while being stuck in the friendzone.

She furrowed her eyebrows together. "What do you mean 'kind of'? How can you 'kind of' sort things out?" She asked in confusion.

"We uh... we agreed on forgetting the kiss ever happened," I said, looking down at my lap.

She inhaled a deep breath, scooting over to place a hand on my thigh. "H, look at me," she insisted.

It took a while until I finally did what she said, turning to meet her brown eyes. "I know what you're thinking, alright? But maybe things are not that black and white. You don't know if he just said that because he wanted to save what you two have. I mean, there must be a reason why he kissed you, right?" She frowned.

Her words reminded me of the way he had asked me the question in the first place. How he had pleaded with me to forget about the kiss because he missed me. Then how he reacted when I told him that it didn't ruin anything between us. He had seemed so relieved. But then again, it could just be that he had missed me as a friend and thought he had ruined our friendship by kissing me. Also, he might just have wanted to find out whether he liked guys or not. It didn't necessarily mean he had actually wanted to kiss me but thought he had ruined everything by doing so.

Letting out a sigh, I ran a hand through my still slightly wet curls. "I don't know, Gems. I should have probably asked him about it, but I was just so happy that he was talking to me again that I didn't want to ruin anything. At the moment, I actually told myself that I would be happy to be his friend if it meant we were on speaking terms," I mumbled.

She pursed her lips, rubbing my thigh reassuringly. "And that just proves how much you love him," she smiled faintly. "But now that you know you are on good terms again, the thought of wanting more comes back, doesn't it?" She guessed.

I nodded my head sadly.

"And that's understandable. Honestly, I don't think you'll ever be able to be just friends with him. It's going to eat you up eventually."

Letting out a sigh, I averted my gaze again. She was right. I knew she was right.

The sad part about it was that I didn't know what to do because I realized then that if I would never get him to like me back, I would lose him one way or another.

_________________________________


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 26**   
  


  
The next morning, I found myself stuffing my mouth with cereal at a quick pace. I had slept through my alarm and didn't wake up until half an hour later. Therefore, I was now in a hurry, and the fact that Louis was going to pick me up stressed me out even more since I knew he hated waiting for me.

It didn't take long until I could hear a car honk outside, and I knew it was Louis without even checking. I shoved the last couple of spoons of cereal into my mouth before hurrying to the sink to dump the bowl there. I then ran to the entryway to slip my black boots on, grab my bag and throw my winter jacket over my shoulder.

The second I had locked the front door, I ran over to Louis' black sports car, seeing how he was fumbling with the radio through the window. Opening the door, I threw my bag on the floor before getting inside. I turned to him, noticing that he was now looking at me.

"Good morning," I greeted.

His gaze wandered upward, and he instantly quirked an eyebrow. "What happened to your hair?" He questioned instead of greeting me in return.

I reached my hand up to touch my brown curls, realizing that I never had time to fix them because I was in such a hurry. "Um, I kind of overslept, so I never had time to fix it," I explained, biting my bottom lip.

He arched his eyebrows at me, an amused smile making its way to his face. "Really?"

"Yeah," I sighed, pulling down the sun visor to check my reflection in the mirror. Damn, he was right. My curls were literally sticking out in every direction.

Louis started driving to school as I tried to fix my hair. After running my hand through it a couple of times, I turned to him again. "Is it better now?"

He glanced at me, his gaze settling on my curls. "Yeah, much better," he smiled.

My lips twitched at his comment. "Oh, by the way, you don't happen to have a piece of gum, do you? I didn't have time to brush my teeth either," I grimaced, making him let out a chuckle.

"Really now? You could have just told me you needed more time. I could have waited, you know?"

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "You waiting? Can those two words even go in the same sentence?" I snorted, but a smile was threatening to take over my features.

He opened his mouth to protest, but he shut it again, which made the smile break out on my face. "That's what I thought," I laughed.

He muttered something under his breath as he kept his eyes on the road. However, he did reach out to open the glove compartment, taking out a package of gum. "Take as many as you want."

My face lit up. "Thank you."

There was just something about it when we were like this that made me forget about the problems that I thought about otherwise. I just couldn't think of serious things when I was on such good terms with him. Therefore, it didn't cross my mind that I had come to a somewhat realization about him yesterday. Also, I was known for living in the present and not thinking about the future too much.

"So, what song were you going to play for me?" I wondered, glancing at his profile as I started chewing my gum.

A smirk made its way to his face as he reached out to take his phone from between our seats. He then unlocked it while still keeping his eyes on the road, glancing down every two seconds to see what he was doing. "Alright, here it is. You'll love it, Curly," he promised me with a smug look on his face, pressing his thumb against the screen.

It didn't take long for me to realize that it was a rock song. I had already assumed so much beforehand, so it didn't take me by surprise. However, what did take me by surprise was that I didn't dislike it. It was actually quite good.

Louis bobbed his head to the loud music, drumming his palms against the wheel. "Jealousy, turning saints into the sea, swimming through sick lullabies, choking on your alibis, but it's just the price I pay. Destiny is calling me. Open up my eager eyes, 'cause I'm Mr. Brightside," Louis sang with a smile on his face.

His singing voice caught me off guard. It was so beautiful and angelic that I swore I could listen to it all day. It wasn't too easy to hear anything but the singer in the band since it was an uptempo song, but Louis had such a nice high tone that it could be heard over the loud music, and I couldn't help the way my lips twitched. Was there anything not to love about this boy?

A few seconds later, Louis turned the volume down, looking at me with the same smug look as before. "You have to admit that it's not bad," he said, raising his eyebrows at me.

I pursed my lips, trying to make it seem like I was hesitant about it. "Well, honestly..." I trailed off, biting the inside of my cheek. "Okay, I'll admit it, it's not bad. It's not bad at all actually. I honestly didn't expect that," I confessed, making his smile widen.

"See, I told you so," he winked, making me let out a light chuckle.

"Oh, shut up," I grinned.

He turned back to the road, the smile never leaving his face. His playlist was still on, and I didn't complain about it because he kept it at a low volume. However, the next couple of songs weren't even half as good as the first one, and something was telling me that it was all on purpose. He knew exactly what song to play to make me agree that it wasn't bad, that tosser.

"So, you wanted to ask me something," he stated after a while, turning to look at me.

I cocked an eyebrow, glancing at him. "I did?" I asked in confusion. I didn't recall wanting to ask him anything.

He knitted his eyebrows. "Yeah. Uh, that time when I wanted to ask you something first, you know? At your house," he explained, and when it finally clicked in my head what he was talking about, I understood why he found it so difficult to talk about it. It was the same day he had kissed me.

"Oh," was the only thing that left my mouth.

To be honest, I had almost forgotten about that whole thing. It seemed like ages ago when Lottie had entered the diner and told me that Louis usually didn't join family dinners and that he had a good reason not to, especially after something he had found out about recently.

I had been so eager to find out what that was all about at the time, but now that Louis and I hadn't talked for a couple of days due to the kiss, it had completely slipped my mind. It just hadn't been what concerned me the most anymore.

"To be honest, I had almost forgotten about it," I admitted.

He raised his eyebrows. "You did? So it was nothing important then?" He wondered curiously.

I bit my bottom lip, thinking about it. I mean, it was important - very important even, but now wasn't really the best time to talk about it. I was quite sure it was something he wouldn't be too keen on talking about either, especially not when we only had a couple of minutes until we would arrive at school. Besides, as mentioned before, we hadn't talked in three days, and I didn't want to throw that in his face the first thing I did.

"It's not that it's not important. It's just not the right time to ask you about it," I tried to explain.

He furrowed his eyebrows, and I could tell that he was suspicious. "Is there something I need to be worried about?"

I shook my head with a small smile on my face. "No. I'd just rather ask you when we have more time to talk," I told him.

He nodded his head in understanding. "I see."

Not long after that, we arrived at school, and Louis parked the car in an empty spot. We both got out of the vehicle, slinging our bags over our shoulders before making our way towards the entrance. We walked next to each other, easily falling into step with one another.

"So, how long have you been planning on studying in Manchester?" Louis asked me, kicking a rock on the ground.

My eyebrows rose in surprise. "Were you listening to my and Evelyn's conversation yesterday?" I gaped.

He pursed his lips, his eyes on the rock. "It doesn't matter," he muttered. "You didn't answer the question."

Letting out a sigh, I ran a hand through my curls. "Well, I'm not really planning on it. I haven't exactly thought about it, which you might have heard too. And as you probably know by now, I don't really like to think about the future. However, I guess if I don't get the scholarship, Manchester is probably going to be my first choice, yes."

"Why?" He wanted to know, making my face turn into a scowl.

"Um... Manchester has always been close to my heart. I spent a lot of time there as a kid, and it's not that far away either. I'd like to stay close to mom and Gemma if I don't get the scholarship."

He hummed in understanding, nodding his head thoughtfully. "I guess that's a fair point."

"What about you?" I asked him, curiosity lacing my voice.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't really thought about it either, but if I don't get the scholarship, I'll probably stick to something close to Holmes Chapel as well."

It was as if I hadn't thought about the fact that we were going separate ways after high school until then because his words really hit me. It made me so extremely sad to think about it, so I guess that was why I always tried not to.

I could tell he noticed that I was concerned about something by the way he was looking at me. "Something's on your mind, Curly?" He wondered.

I looked up to meet his gaze. "I just... I don't like thinking about what's to come, you know? I can't really picture us guys going different ways," I mumbled, leaving out that separating from him specifically was what bothered me the most.

He furrowed his eyebrows together. "Yeah, I know. I don't like thinking about that either," he muttered.

"I mean, one of us two is going to move to London in just a matter of months," I mumbled, looking up at the grey sky.

He stayed quiet, not commenting anything about it. It made me wonder if it was bugging him as well. Did he feel the same way about us going separate ways? I hoped so because then it meant I at least meant _something_ to him.

"Let's talk about something else, shall we? There are still a few months until then after all," he reminded me, trying to lighten the mood.

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right."

We started talking about soccer instead, and it didn't take long until we arrived at our lockers after that. Niall, Liam and Zayn were already there, chatting about something that made them all have smiles on their faces. The second they noticed us approaching them, their eyes almost bulged out of their sockets as their jaws dropped.

Liam was the first one to compose himself by inhaling a deep sigh of relief. "Thank heavens you two are talking again. I was getting so tired of having to choose whom of you to hang with," he said.

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Liam, you only had to go through it for a day. Why are you making it sound like it was for a month?" I chuckled, an amused smile gracing my lips.

He pouted his lips, letting out a huff. "Well, it felt like a month. Yesterday was a tough day."

I rolled my eyes, glancing to my right to see Louis doing the same thing. Niall was the next one to compose himself, and he didn't hesitate to take a step forward and grab a hold of my forearm. "We need to talk."

With that said, he pulled me to the other end of the hallway, not letting go of me until we were out of the other lads' sight. He then raised his eyebrows at me questioningly.

"Tell me what happened," he demanded.

I inhaled a deep breath. "We just talked it through," I shrugged.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "And what? You know why he kissed you now? And if he feels the same way? What exactly did you talk about, and why are you acting like nothing happened?" He blurted.

I let out a sigh, running a hand through my dark curls. "I didn't really find out about any of those things. We just agreed that we would forget about the kiss," I explained, looking down at my boots.

He inhaled a deep breath. "Damn, Harry. That's not the way to go. You can't just go around ignoring such important stuff and try to be friends with him. It's not going to work."

I furrowed my eyebrows, pinching my bottom lip with my forefinger and thumb. "I just don't want to lose him, Niall. I'm already anxious about us going separate ways in just a few months. Besides, he was the one who wanted to forget about it. I couldn't just force him to explain himself then," I mumbled.

He pursed his lips, looking away from me for a second. "He's not playing fair, you know? He does exactly what he wants with you and you don't even question his actions," he huffed.

I bit my bottom lip, shaking my head. "That's not true. I... I do not let him do what he wants," I frowned.

Niall cocked an eyebrow. "So you think it's okay for him to kiss you and then not even explain himself? And you think it's okay for him to ignore you whenever something happens, then all of a sudden pretend that it never did? Because it seems like he does this a lot. Damn it, Harry. You're better than this."

To be honest, I had never thought about it like that. Maybe he was right. I mean, for example, Louis never told me the reason he was being distant the week after my birthday. Now I was fairly positive it had to do with his family, but that was beside the point. If he considered us close, then I would be one of the first people he told, right?

The crease between my eyebrows deepened at his words. "He is a little secretive at times, but I'm sure he has a reason for it," I mumbled, not really liking the fact that Niall was talking about him like this, even if I understood where he was coming from.

Niall rolled his eyes. "You're so gone for him, Harry, I swear."

I shot him a glare. "Whatever," I muttered, walking away to join the other boys again.

He let out a sigh before following me. He didn't say anything, though, so I assumed he understood that he wasn't going to get anything else out of me right now.

"What was that all about?" Louis wondered once we were standing in front of them, raising his eyebrows at me.

I glanced at Niall quickly before looking back at him. "Nothing important. He just wanted help with a math problem," I shrugged, making Louis narrow his eyes a little. He didn't seem convinced, but he accepted the explanation.

"On a completely different note, Alice is throwing a party on Friday and she told me to invite you all," Liam informed us.

Zayn let out a snort. "Well, I sure hope she did. We are her boyfriend's best friends after all," he said.

Liam rolled his eyes, punching him on the arm. "Oh, shut up."

Zayn let out a chuckle, sending him an air kiss.

"Should I take that as a yes?" Liam wondered, his eyebrows raised.

Zayn continued to laugh. "You can definitely count me in."

"Niall?" Liam went on, and the blonde-haired guy smiled at him.

"For sure."

"Louis and Harry?"

To be honest, I wasn't sure if I wanted to attend this party because nothing good ever came out of them. I mean, at my birthday party, I had kissed my co-worker only because I had been so jealous about Louis kissing that girl. And sure, Emily's party didn't turn out that bad considering he ended up sleeping at my house, but he got hurt, and he did sleep with said girl, so I didn't know if I really wanted to attend another party.

"Sure, why not?" Louis smiled, shrugging his shoulders.

I swallowed hard, looking at the feathery-haired boy as he smiled at Liam. He probably didn't notice that I was staring at him because he didn't turn to meet my gaze, so I let out a deep sigh, knowing I couldn't say no when no one else did. "Okay," I mumbled.

Niall shot me a look, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. He knew something wasn't right.

"Great. I'm sure Alice will be delighted to hear that you're all going to be there. I can assure you that there are going to be a lot of girls as well," he smirked.

Zayn wolf-whistled while Niall clapped his hands together excitedly. I didn't do anything, and when I looked at Louis, he didn't seem to react much to this news either. He just gave Liam a nod with a small smile on his face, but nothing more than that. Somehow, it made me relax a little. Maybe this party was going to be different from all the other ones?

Before either of us could say something else, the bell rang, and we all went our separate ways... or so I thought. It turned out Louis caught up with me as I walked through the hallway, so he was now walking right beside me. I glanced at him in surprise, only to notice that he was smirking at me.

"You don't remember that both our classes are this way?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at me.

I couldn't help but smile at his words. "Yeah, I do. I even know you have Drama," I chuckled, making his mouth fall open in fake surprise.

"What? Are you some kind of stalker now?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" I teased, making him laugh.

He didn't know how much of a stalker I actually was. I kept track of all his classes, and I had done so during the last couple of years. He didn't need to know that, though.

"Yeah, actually. It's nice knowing I have an admirer," he joked, nudging me in the side playfully.

Since when were our conversations this flirty? I didn't know, but I did know that I enjoyed it. If I knew he wouldn't find it weird, I would be flirting with him more often, although this was only in a teasing way.

We arrived at Louis' stop right then, and we said goodbye to each other before I hurried to my classroom, knowing I was probably running a little late.

During the entire hour, I thought about what Niall had told me earlier. He said that Louis did whatever he wanted with me, as if I was wrapped around his finger. I wasn't. I was just afraid of losing him and having him not like me. That was why I never pushed him to explain himself. I mean, after that time when he snapped at me in the hallway, I had felt like I had to be careful with what I said around him so I didn't do anything else that would upset him. And whenever he was secretive, he had made it pretty clear that he didn't want to talk about whatever the topic was, so I never pushed him to.

On the other hand, I guess Niall was right when he said that I couldn't go on like this. Louis was one of my closest friends now, so I shouldn't be afraid to ask him things. Sure, I had been about to ask him why he had been distant that week after my birthday twice now, but there was no denying that I was always a little afraid that he would react negatively and run away when I did. But I had to realize that if he didn't want to answer, he wouldn't, and I was sure he wasn't going to just leave if I did.

We were closer than ever, and we had been through so much during the last couple of weeks, so if he didn't want anything to do with me, he would have left a long time ago, right?

So, maybe asking him about it wouldn't be so bad? Maybe I had just built up the situation worse than it was? I knew that he didn't want to talk about it at the time, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad now that things seemed to be better?

That was how I came to the conclusion that I was going to ask him about it after school, and there was no turning back this time.

___________________________________


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 27**   
  


  
  
When the last bell of the day rang, I made my way to my locker. All of the guys were already there, shrugging on their jackets and grabbing their bags while chatting with each other.

I hadn't talked to either Louis or Niall separately since this morning because whenever I had met them during the day, Liam and Zayn had been there too. Now, I didn't exactly know if Niall wanted to talk to me again, but I knew I wanted to talk to Louis.

"Hey guys," I greeted as I opened my locker, shoving my books into it.

Liam turned to me, a smile on his face. "Hey, Harry. Do you have work today?" He wondered.

I knitted my eyebrows together. "Yeah, I do. Why?"

By now, Zayn, Niall and Louis were listening to our conversation as well. Liam shrugged his shoulders. "Evelyn is joining me and Alice to this café in the city, so I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to come too. It's okay, though. I don't think she'll feel like she's third-wheeling."

My mouth formed the shape of an 'o'. "I would have loved to come if I didn't have work. I'm sorry," I apologized.

"No need to apologize, mate, I understand. I was ninety percent sure you had work anyway," he assured me.

Before either of us could say anything else, we were accompanied by the two girls Liam had mentioned just a minute ago. Alice didn't hesitate to walk up to Liam and wrap her arms around his waist from behind, pressing a light kiss to his neck.

Evelyn, on the other hand, walked over to me with a bright smile on her face. "Fancy seeing you here," she smiled joyfully.

I let out a light chuckle. "My locker is right here, so you shouldn't be surprised," I said, feeling a pair of eyes staring at the side of my face.

She shrugged her shoulders. "It didn't make me any less happy, though."

I just shook my head with a smile on my face.

"So, are you joining us for coffee at the café?" She asked hopefully, nodding towards Liam and Alice.

Letting out a sigh, I gave her an apologetic look. "I can't, I'm sorry. I have work today, unfortunately."

She pouted her lips. "That's too bad. It would've been nice to have you there with me," she said, looking at the loved up couple.

I glanced at them too, noticing that Liam had now turned around to look at his girlfriend. Their faces were close as they talked, smiles on their lips. Yeah, I was definitely jealous of their relationship.

"I'm sure you'll be fine," I reassured her, making Evelyn's lips twitch as she turned back to face me.

"I hope so."

I was just about to turn to my locker and grab my jacket when she started talking again. "Um, you don't want to uh... have coffee with me some other time?" She wondered, biting her bottom lip hesitantly.

My mouth fell open in surprise. However, it suddenly hit me that I shouldn't be because Liam had warned me about this. He had told me that Evelyn was planning to ask me out, but that she probably hadn't found the courage to do so yet. It just never registered in my mind that she would actually do it.

"I uh--"

Suddenly, I could feel someone wrap an arm around my shoulders, pulling me to their side. "Sorry to disappoint you, love, but Harry here doesn't date."

I snapped my head to my right, seeing Louis flashing Evelyn a fake smile with his head tilted to the side. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I was beyond shocked. I didn't expect him to interfere with our conversation, and especially not like this.

While I tried to register what was happening, I noticed that Evelyn was surprised by Louis' actions as well, judging by the look on her face. Her eyebrows were almost reaching her hairline and her eyes were wide open. However, she composed herself before I had found the ability to talk.

"Oh, I... I'm sorry. Is that... is that true?" She wondered, turning to me.

I swallowed hard, glancing at Louis only to see that he had clenched his jaw while practically glaring at the black-haired girl.

"I... No, it's not exactly true, but it's not a lie either," I said, furrowing my eyebrows because what the hell was I saying? What did I even mean by that?

She seemed confused too as she bit her lip hesitantly. "Oh. Um... I'm sorry I asked. It's okay if you don't want to consider it a date. I... I just thought it could be nice to have a chat," she shrugged, looking down at the floor.

God, I felt so bad for her. She didn't deserve this. She was such a nice girl that didn't deserve anything bad, yet here I was, basically throwing it in her face that I didn't want to go out with her. Sure, _I_ didn't exactly do it, Louis did, but I didn't exactly make things better either.

I could feel Louis' hold around my shoulders tighten as I flashed her a small smile. "I agree," I replied, making her look up at me with an almost hopeful smile. It made Louis grit his teeth.

"We can talk about it some other time, yeah?" She suggested, glancing at Louis quickly.

I nodded my head. "Sure."

With that said, she said goodbye before walking over to Liam and Alice, who were now talking to Zayn and Niall. As soon as she was gone, I unwrapped Louis' arm from my shoulders and looked at him with a frown on my face.

"That wasn't really necessary, was it?" I muttered, making him let out a snort.

Without a word, he turned to my open locker and grabbed my bag before walking away, heading towards the exits. I let out a groan, shutting my locker before going after him, knowing I needed my bag to get home since my bus pass was in it.

I finally caught up with him as soon as we were outside, and I didn't hesitate to grab a hold of his forearm, stopping him in his tracks. He turned around to face me, his features showing no emotion whatsoever.

"If you want me to apologize for what I did, I'm sorry to disappoint you because that's not going to happen. At least I'm not leading anyone on here," he muttered, making me want to snort.

_Yeah, right. Says the one who goes and fucking kisses their best friend who's had feelings for them for three years only to regret it afterward._

If anyone was leading anyone on here, it was him. He just didn't know it. "I'm not leading her on," I mumbled. "She just looked so sad... I just didn't want to hurt her."

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "That's like the whole point of turning people down, Curly. You can't expect her to be happy when you tell her you don't reciprocate her feelings."

I knitted my eyebrows together. "But I don't want her to hate me. She's nice, and I don't want to lose her as a friend."

He looked up at the sky for a few seconds, letting out a sigh. "You can't be friends with someone who has feelings for you. It's not fair to them."

_As if I don't already know that. It hurts like a bitch, Louis. You know that?_

With a glare, I reached out to snatch my bag from his hand before stomping away, heading towards the bus stop. He seemed taken aback by my actions because it took a while until I could hear his voice behind me.

"Hey, where are you going?" He called after me.

"Home," I said monotonously, not really wanting to be in his presence probably for the first time in my life.

I could hear him let out a sigh as he jogged up to me, only slowing down when he was right beside me. "Come on, Curly. Is this because I interfered with the conversation? Fuck, I'm sorry, but I just didn't want you to get her hopes up," he tried to explain. It didn't really make any sense, though. Why would he care if I got her hopes up? This was between me and Evelyn, not him.

"I don't care about that," I muttered because I didn't. Sure, he could have been nicer to her, but that wasn't the main reason I just wanted to go home right now. His previous words were.

"Then what is it?" He pleaded, giving me puppy eyes, and no, damn it. I couldn't resist those beautiful, ocean blue eyes even if I wanted to.

I let out a loud groan. "It's nothing, alright? I shouldn't have to explain myself when you basically never do," I replied, making his face turn into a scowl.

"What are you talking about?"

I turned to meet his gaze. "I've been thinking about asking you something all day... or more like for two weeks now."

He seemed even more confused by this. "Then why haven't you just done so?"

"Because," I said, running a hand through my curls while inhaling a deep breath. "Because you wouldn't have answered me."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "How do you know that when you haven't even tried?" He asked, looking me in the eye.

I swallowed hard, averting my gaze. "Because you always get so secretive when we talk about certain things," I explained.

He bit his bottom lip, looking at something behind my shoulder. I doubted it was anything specific, though. "Well, you can always ask, you know? There's no harm in that," he shrugged, turning to look at me again. "Is this about what we talked about in the car this morning?"

I met his gaze, staring into his blue eyes for a couple of seconds until I let out a sigh. "Yeah, it is," I admitted. "And I guess you're right. I've been trying to tell myself that there won't be any harm in asking, but I guess I was just afraid that you would shut me out if I threw all these questions at you that you didn't want to answer."

He flashed me a small smile as he shook his head. "I guess I understand where you're coming from, seeing as I've been like a rollercoaster lately, but I can promise you that you don't have to worry about it. You know, you ain't getting rid of me that easily," he joked, and if his intention was to lighten the mood, he succeeded.

I let out a light chuckle. "Good to know."

His lips twitched at my comment. "Come on. I'll drive you home so you can finally ask me what you've been wanting to for so long," he suggested, giving me a look of expectation as he started walking towards the parking lot.

I didn't know whether I was supposed to hesitate or not, but I didn't. If Louis was asking me to come with him, I couldn't say no. My heart would never let me even if I wanted to. So, I followed him to his black sports car and slid into the passenger seat once he had unlocked it.

"Alright, shoot," he said as he turned on the engine and pulled out of the parking space.

Inhaling a deep breath, I turned to look out the window. How should I begin? And with what?

"Um, so you remember how I met Lottie at my work the other day, yeah?" I finally settled with, biting my bottom lip hesitantly.

He took it the wrong way and instantly turned to stare at me with this warning look on his face. "Curly, if you're going to tell me that you actually did try something with her, I don't have any other choice but to strangle you."

"Why do you always assume I've been hitting on your sister whenever I mention her? Damn, I thought I told you that I would never do that," I said, rolling my eyes.

He pursed his lips, knitting his eyebrows together. "Okay, go on."

I let out a sigh. "So, she told me that you usually don't join your family dinners and that she understood why, especially after something you had found out recently. She wouldn't say what it was, but something is telling me that it has to do with the way you were acting so off during the week after my birthday. Now, I know there's probably more to it... or at least why you were ignoring me, seeing as you seemed pretty upset about the fact that I told you we aren't close," I explained.

Louis stayed quiet for a long time, so long that I was getting more and more certain he wasn't going to say anything. However, he proved me wrong when he eventually ran a hand through his fringe and opened his mouth to start talking.

"Yeah, you're right. A lot of things happened at the same time, and I didn't really know how to handle it all, so I distanced myself from everyone."

Knitting my eyebrows together, I looked at him, noticing that he seemed a little nervous. When was Louis Tomlinson ever nervous?

"Um, can I ask what you found out? Or is it too personal?" I questioned him hesitantly.

The muscles in his face softened a little by my words, but he was biting his lip so harshly that I was almost certain it was going to draw blood. Again, it took ages until he opened his mouth to speak, and when he did, he let out a sigh. "I... I don't know about you, but I consider you one of the closest people to me now, and I feel like you are not going to spread this around to anyone, so uh... I'll tell you because I think you deserve to know why I acted the way I was, and why I'm still acting the way I am," he muttered. "But, I want to show you something first. It's going to be easier for you to understand then."

I didn't know how to react to what he just said. First of all, I was so happy that he considered me one of the closest people to him and that he felt like he could trust me. Words couldn't describe just how glad that made me feel. However, I was also confused by his words. What exactly did he want to show me?

"What do you mean 'I want to show you something first'?" I wondered.

A faint smile formed on his lips as he looked at me. "Are you free tomorrow after practice?"

I was even more confused by this. "Uh, yeah, I guess?"

"Then I'll bring you to my house. You're going to understand exactly what I mean then," he explained.

"Oh, um... okay," I frowned.

With his hands gripping the wheel, he glanced at me questioningly. "Was that all you wanted to ask me or is there more?" He wondered.

There were probably plenty of things I wanted to ask him about, but I couldn't remember them all at the moment. Everything was just blank in my mind right now.

"Uh, not that I can think of right now, no," I said, scratching the back of my neck.

He let out a light chuckle. "Alright, Curly."

During the next couple of minutes, I thought about what he had just told me, and honestly, I couldn't believe that he hadn't made more protest. I didn't expect this at all. It definitely took me by surprise.

The fact that I was going to find out what was going on in the Tomlinson household tomorrow made me both nervous and excited. Nervous because I didn't know what to expect although I knew it couldn't be anything good. Excited because I had been wanting to know for such a long time now. I was finally going to find out why Louis acted the way he did.

"How did you and Lottie even get into talking about all that?" He asked me after a while with a hint of amusement in his voice.

I turned to him, my lips twitching. "When she entered the diner, I remembered that your family ordered the chicken stew last time they came to pick up food, and since you told me you had never tried it before, I asked her if you usually ate the food they ordered from us," I shrugged.

His mouth formed the shape of an 'o'. "I see. Well, I must say that was actually pretty clever of you. Wouldn't take you as a smart guy," he joked, giving me a cheeky smile.

"Heey," I whined. "What's that supposed to mean?" I pouted, making his smile widen.

"It means exactly what it sounds like."

I leaned over to hit his arm, but not too harshly considering he was driving. "Says the one who had to repeat a school year."

His mouth fell open. "That had nothing to do with my intelligence, thank you very much," he huffed.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, so what was it about then?" I wondered, raising my eyebrows at him.

He stuck his bottom lip out. "I was just unmotivated, is all. I didn't attend classes and I hung out with people who'd rather call in sick just to spend the day playing video games. Now that I think about it, it was actually a good thing that I had to repeat that year. Otherwise, God knows what would have happened to me," he said, shaking his head.

God knows what would have happened to me either.

Would I even have fallen for him if he never repeated that school year? I mean, I barely even acknowledged him when he was in the year above me, but as soon as he started hanging out with us lads, I just started falling for him more and more. Each day, I used to find something new about him that made me realize just how beautiful he was inside and out.

"Well, you wouldn't have known me," I reminded him, making him glance at me.

A smile crept to his lips as he nodded his head. "That's true."

A few minutes later, we arrived at my house, but before I had even made a move to open the door, Louis turned so his body was facing me. "Look, about the whole Evelyn thing... I'm really sorry, alright? I shouldn't have interfered in your conversation like that since I realize now that I didn't have anything to do with it. I just... I couldn't help myself," he apologized, biting his bottom lip.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "It's okay. I was just shocked, and I didn't want to hurt her feelings. But I guess you were right about the fact that it was probably for the best that she found out I'm not interested, even if it hurt her," I said, pursing my lips.

He nodded his head slowly. "Maybe I shouldn't have been the one to tell her, though."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Honestly, I don't think I would have been able to tell her myself, so you kind of did me a favor although you could have been a little nicer," I explained, the corners of my lips twitching, which he noticed.

He cracked a small smile of his own as he let out a light chuckle. "I'll keep that in mind till next time."

"Next time?" I frowned.

His smile turned into a look of amusement. "Well, you are an attractive lad, Curly. There are going to be more people trying to hit on you, so I might as well start preparing myself for letting more people down," he said, making my heart pick up its pace.

Did he just call me an attractive lad?

"How do you know I won't want them to hit on me?" I wondered, raising my eyebrows.

He shrugged his shoulders with a determined look on his face. "I'll make sure of that."

______________________________________


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, but here's the next chapter. Hope you'll like it xx

**Chapter 28**   
  
  


  
When practice rolled around the next day, I found myself almost biting my nails in anticipation. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about the fact that I was actually going home with Louis after practice. Honestly, I couldn't remember the last time I was there. It must have been months ago, and whenever the guys and I were over, his parents weren't there. His sisters were the only ones who used to be home, and this fact made me more nervous, yet excited at the same time because I assumed I was going to meet his parents for the first time today.

"Alright, boys. That was all for today. Great job everyone," Coach announced, pulling me out of my thoughts.

We all walked off the field to head to the locker rooms. I felt someone bump their hip against mine on our way there, making me snap my head to the source. Niall was flashing me a lopsided smile, his head tilted to the side.

"You okay, mate?" He asked.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Yeah, everything's fine. Why?"

He shrugged his shoulders, turning his gaze forward. "I just couldn't help but notice that you seemed a little off, so I was just wondering if something's bugging you?"

It was almost creepy how easy it was for Niall to read me. It was like he acknowledged every thought in my mind by just studying me. I really hoped no one else had the same ability as him because that would be embarrassing.

I looked around to make sure Louis wasn't in sight before letting out a deep sigh. "It's nothing to worry about. I'm just nervous because I finally talked to Louis and he's going to explain things after practice," I told him.

Niall looked surprised by this. "He's going to tell you why he kissed you? Why couldn't he have just done that right away?"

Honestly, that question had totally slipped my mind yesterday. I did mention that everything went blank after Louis had started explaining himself and said that he was willing to tell me the reason behind his behavior, but I never thought I would forget to ask him one of the most important questions. However, I still wasn't sure whether I actually wanted to know why he decided to press his lips to mine that afternoon.

"No, it's not about that. It's about something else that he has been keeping to himself," I explained, making his mouth form the shape of an 'o'.

"Oh. Well, at least you are heading in the right direction. I'm proud that you finally decided to man up and ask him things you've been wanting to know," he smiled, giving me a pat on the shoulder. "Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you don't let him do whatever he wants with you."

I shook my head. "It was never my intention, but you made me realize that it was kind of a problem and that I had to take matters into my hands and do something about it. So, thank you, Niall."

"No problem," he smiled.

When we reached the locker room, we went our separate ways. I sat down on the bench where I had my bag, not wasting a minute until I started stripping out of my dirty gear. I had only gotten my shirt off when I could feel someone staring at me. My heart started racing in my chest, and it wasn't because of the fact that someone was looking at me itself, but because I knew who it was without having to check.

When I snapped my eyes up to meet those ocean blue eyes, I felt my breath hitch because Louis was sitting on the bench in front of me, his gaze glued to my stomach. For a second, I thought something was wrong, that I had dirt on me or something, but when I looked down, I could only see my pale skin, my butterfly tattoo, my fern leaves tattoos and abs. Did that mean he was checking me out?

When he noticed that I had caught him staring, he immediately averted his gaze, not daring to look me in the eye as he hurriedly stripped off his gear and headed for the showers. I could only stare at his figure as my mouth fell open. Did that just happen?

It took me a few seconds to pull myself together before I continued stripping out of my clothes. The second I entered the showers, Louis left, walking past me quickly. I decided not to put too much thought into it, even if I was kind of freaking out on the inside. Him looking at me didn't need to mean anything, though. It could have just been a mistake, just like everything else he ever did.

Once I had finished showering, I got dressed in my black sweats and purple hoodie, keeping my eyes away from Louis during the time I did so. Not that I felt his eyes on me again, but because I didn't want things to be more awkward than they were.

I didn't look up at him until I had zipped my bag, knowing I would have to talk to him in a matter of seconds since I was leaving with him. It turned out that was a mistake, though, because suddenly, I was the one staring at him. He was wearing his green Adidas hoodie again, and I just couldn't describe how much I loved it on him. Couldn't I just cuddle with him already while having his arms wrapped around me?

"It's not nice to stare, Curly."

I blinked, looking up at Louis' face to see him smirking at me. Wait, what? Did he really just say that? Who did he think he was, pointing me out when he had been doing the exact same thing just a few minutes ago? "At least I'm not staring at someone's naked torso," I stated, raising my eyebrows at him knowingly.

He pressed his lips in a thin line, turning around to face the door. Most of the lads had already left by now, so no one was really acknowledging our conversation. "The car's leaving in five," was the only thing he said before walking out the door, leaving me to shake my head in disbelief after him.

I would have given everything to read his mind right now, but when would I not? He was so secretive sometimes that he made me want to be Edward in fucking Twilight, that wanker.

I grabbed my bag from the bench, slinging it over my shoulder before walking out of the locker room as well. To my surprise, Louis hadn't gotten far. In fact, he was leaning against the brick wall of the building when I got outside.

Raising my eyebrows at him, I watched him pull himself off the wall to join me. "I thought you wouldn't wait for me."

He shrugged his shoulders, a smile creeping to his lips. "I only said the car's leaving in five," he said, making me roll my eyes.

When we arrived at the parking lot, Ryan, Tristan and Derek were there, each with a cigarette between their fingers while probably waiting for their ride to show up. They were chatting with each other, laughing at something they had just mentioned.

I looked away from them quickly, hoping they wouldn't see us because I was getting sick and tired of Ryan's attitude and behavior. Of course we weren't that lucky, though, because right then, Ryan caught sight of us, his lips instantly turning into a smirk.

"Aw, if it isn't it the faggy little boyfriends I see," he sniggered, tilting his head to the side.

Louis hadn't noticed them until Ryan's words hit his eardrums, and he instantly turned to face the source. "The fuck did you just say?" He snapped, coming to an abrupt halt.

Before I knew it, he was stomping over to the brown-haired boy who still had that ugly smirk on his face. Louis' jaw clenched as he got in Ryan's face, gritting his teeth. "You wanna repeat what you just said, huh?" He challenged him, raising his eyebrows in expectation.

Ryan rolled his eyes, taking a step back. "I'm not afraid of you, Tomlinson," he laughed, tossing his cig to the ground before stomping on it.

Louis let out a scoff, narrowing his eyes at him. "You're just jealous."

This made Ryan let out a loud bark of laughter, throwing his head back. "Me, jealous? Yeah, right. As if I would be jealous of having a boyfriend."

Louis rolled his eyes. "I'm not talking about that, you stupid idiot. You're jealous because I took your title of being captain," he sad knowingly, and judging by the way Ryan's jaw clenched, he was most likely right about his statement.

"You know nothing, Tomlinson. You're just a spoiled little brat who gets whatever you want," he seethed, scrunching his nose up in disgust.

Louis swallowed hard. "You know fucking nothing about me either, you shit. And you know what? Doing everything you can to hurt me and Harry is not going to lead you anywhere. Coach will never let you be captain again," he spat before turning on his heel to walk away from him.

On his way back, he placed a hand on the small of my back to guide me forward. Wolf-whistles were heard from behind us then, but Louis just flipped them the finger without even turning around to look at them.

The second we were both sitting in the car, I let out a deep breath while running a hand through my damp curls. When I turned to look at Louis, I noticed that he was staring out the windshield with an unreadable look on his face. It made me nervous because I had no idea what he was thinking about after what had just taken place.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, biting my bottom lip.

He snapped his head to look at me, his eyebrows furrowing together. "Why are _you_ sorry?"

"I just... I'm sorry for what he said," I mumbled.

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "I don't give a shit about what he said. He can say and believe whatever he wants. I just don't tolerate his fucking attitude and that stupid tone he always uses."

I swallowed hard, averting my gaze from him. To be honest, I hadn't expected that. I thought he cared more about what people thought about him, but maybe I had gotten that wrong?

"So, you don't mind that he called us boyfriends?" I wondered hesitantly, feeling my heart race in my chest.

He shrugged his shoulders, facing forward again. "We both know that it's not true anyway."

My heart sunk to the pit of my stomach, feeling like a heavy rock that had just hit the bottom of a lake. "Yeah..."

With that, Louis turned on the engine and left the parking lot along with the three guys who were still standing there, waiting for their ride to pick them up. The drive to Louis' house only lasted for five minutes since he lived much closer to the gym than I did, but it was silent five minutes.

All the nerves about finally meeting his parents came back in the snap of the fingers, swimming around in my stomach in an almost teasing way. I felt like throwing up, especially since Louis and I didn't talk during the entire ride. It didn't exactly make me relax.

When he parked his car in their massive driveway, he turned off the engine before turning to me. He instantly noticed that I was nervous judging by the way his facial expression softened. "You okay?" He asked, his eyes scanning my face.

I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth. "Yeah, I just don't know what to expect," I told him honestly, making a faint smile appear on his lips.

"I understand, but don't worry. Just... just remember to not take offense to anything, alright?"

My face turned into a scowl by his words. What did he mean by that?

Before I had time to question him, he got out of the car. He opened the backseat door to grab his bag before shutting it again. When he noticed that I still wasn't moving, he walked over to tap my window.

"Come on, Curly," he mouthed with a wink.

It made my heart flutter, and I reluctantly grabbed the handle to open the door. I let out a sigh once I was outside and shut the door behind me. My bag was still in the car because I figured I wouldn't need it until I was going home anyway.

The second Louis reached out to open the front door of the massive, white house, I grabbed his forearm to stop him. "Louis, I never brought a change of clothes," I almost panicked, looking down at my attire that consisted of my sweats and hoodie.

He rolled his eyes. "Believe me, they won't care about that," was the only thing he said before finally opening the door.

He made sure to let me in first before closing it behind himself, instantly shrugging his winter jacket off. I did the same, and it wasn't until we had hung them up that I noticed the sound of utensils scraping against plates from the kitchen. Muffled voices could also be heard over the screeching sound.

I turned to Louis questioningly. "Are they already eating?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, they never really wait for me. Not that I usually join them anyway, but you already know that."

Yeah, I did, but I thought things would be different today when I was coming over, but apparently not. "So, what exactly do you want to show me?" I asked, feeling confused all of a sudden. I thought it had to do with his family, so why weren't we joining them for dinner?

"Come on," he said, grabbing my forearm to pull me forward.

The house was massive, just like I already knew. I had been here before, but it never failed to amaze me just how beautiful it was. Everything was white except for the floor and decorations. The floor was made of dark brown wood while most of the decorations were either grey, beige or black. There were not many rooms on the bottom floor, but they were so big that I was positive you couldn't hear that a person was talking to you from the other side of it.

The kitchen was next to the living room, and you had to walk through it to get there. Louis pulled me that way, and together, we walked past the big, white leather couch and the most gigantic flat screen that I had ever seen on the wall opposite it. The second we reached the kitchen, the sound of utensils scratching against plates faded, and so did the voices.

Jay and Mark were sitting at the kitchen table along with all of the girls, even the twins. They were all staring at us as if we were two ghosts appearing out of nowhere.

Lottie was the first one to compose herself, and a smile instantly broke out on her face. "Harry!" She called out.

The lump that had formed in my throat when we arrived outside the house only grew bigger at the sight in front of me. Sure, Lottie's reaction helped a little, but not much because the rest of the family was still staring at us wide-eyed.

"Uh... hi, Lottie," I greeted, forcing a smile on my face. She returned it, her lips still curled up.

Louis cleared his throat as he walked over to pull out two plates and two glasses from the cabinets. He placed the items on the table, looking over at me quickly before grabbing some utensils from one of the drawers. He then sat down in the seat next to Lottie, leaving the one opposite him beside Fizzy empty for me.

"Come sit down, Curly," he said, looking over at me almost apologetically.

I swallowed hard, noticing that Jay and Mark had turned their attention back to their food, not even opening their mouths to say anything. Weird. I thought they would at least say hi to me, but apparently not. It made me furrow my eyebrows as I walked over to the empty seat, pulling it out.

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. It was so thick that it made my sickness come back all over again. This must be the most awkward situation I had ever been in by far, and the only question that kept repeating itself in my head was; Why on earth were Louis' parents acting this way?

"Hey, Harry," Fizzy greeted once I had sat down beside her, flashing me a small smile.

"Hi," I grimaced, feeling so out of place that I wanted to run straight out the door Louis and I had just walked in through.

Across the table, Lottie and Louis were whispering something to each other while Jay and Mark had now fallen into a conversation of their own. I tried to flash Louis a confused look, wanting to know what the hell was going on, but he didn't notice it as he was focusing on what Lottie was saying to him.

"So, how was school today, girls?" Mark asked, breaking the awkward silence that had occurred.

The twins immediately spoke up while Fizzy's eyebrows pulled together. Lottie and Louis stopped talking as soon as Mark opened his mouth, but their faces remained neutral.

"It's been great, dad. Daisy and I got to make this painting during lecture," Phoebe, I assumed, explained, giving her father a toothy grin.

Mark's face lit up. "Can I see it?"

Phoebe shook her head. "No! It's not finished yet, daddy," she whined, her lips in a pout.

Jay shot the twin a smile, reaching out to run a hand through her brown hair. "You can bring it home once it is then, yeah?"

Phoebe nodded her head vigorously. "Yeah, of course, mommy."

Louis' lips were pressed in a thin line as he reached out to plate some food. By the looks of it, it seemed to be some meat stew with rice. While he did this, I could see Mark's eyes following his movements, an unreadable look on his face. It was almost as if he was conflicted about how to react to Louis putting food on his plate.

Louis didn't seem to notice this, though. He just put his plate back on the table before meeting my gaze, nodding towards my empty one. I immediately understood what he meant, but I felt hesitant about giving it to him. I got the feeling that Mark didn't want us to eat the food, which only made the sickness in my stomach intensify. I wanted to get out of here, and that was now.

However, I didn't want to draw any attention, so I handed Louis the plate and let him put some food on it before he gave it back. I could feel both Jay's and Mark's eyes on us as he did this, but I tried my best not to think about it. It only made the situation worse than it already was.

"So, what about you, Fizzy and Lottie? How was your day?" Mark continued, clearing his throat.

His question made my face turn into a scowl. Why did he make it so obvious that he didn't care about how Louis' day had been? First, he said the word 'girls', and now he specifically asked Fizzy and Lottie about their day, leaving Louis out of it completely. It made me even more confused than I already was.

"Um... It's been great, dad. Thanks for asking," Lottie grimaced, biting her bottom lip.

Fizzy nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, my day's been good too," she mumbled, looking down at her plate.

The kitchen went silent after that again. Louis started eating his food, but he didn't seem hungry judging by the small bites he brought to his mouth. I, on the other hand, couldn't even bring myself to start eating. I wanted to throw up, not get anything _down_ my system.

Mark and Jay fell into a conversation with the twins, but the rest of us stayed quiet. After five minutes, Louis noticed that I hadn't touched my food and wasn't planning on doing so either, so he glanced at his parents quickly before giving me a pointed look towards the doorway. Fucking finally.

We both got up from the kitchen table and dumped our dishes in the sink. Mark and Jay didn't even seem to notice it, seeing as they were too caught up in their conversation with the twins. Or, they just wanted to make it look like it. I couldn't care less, though. I just wanted to get out of here.

"Come on, Curly. Let's head up to my room," Louis said monotonously, not even looking at his parents as he did so.

However, I could see Jay pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, but Mark didn't so much as move an inch by his words, much less look up at him. It made my heart almost drop because what the hell was this?

Louis swallowed hard as he turned around, walking out of the kitchen. I followed him quickly, not wanting to be in that room for a second longer. We walked up the stairs in silence. I didn't know why he didn't say anything, but I knew that I didn't because I was still in shock after what had just taken place.

Something was definitely wrong, and I couldn't wait for Louis to explain it all to me.

__________________________________


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's so nice to see that so many of you seem to like this story. Again, sorry for the wait. I hope you'll like this chapter though x

**Chapter 29**   
  
  


  
The second we reached Louis' room on the top floor, I could feel my eyes widening because damn, his room was massive. I had never been here before. Whenever the boys and I were over, we only just hung out in the living room downstairs.

The walls were dark grey while the floor was of the same brown wood as downstairs. There was a big, black king-sized bed in the middle of the room, and a huge flat screen on the wall opposite it. Above the headboard, there were different posters of soccer players such as Messi and David Beckham. Otherwise, the walls were clean.

He had a closet that took up half of the wall on the left side of the bed, and next to it and the closet, there was a black full-length mirror. On the right side of the room (in front of the door), he had a white desk that was so clean I doubted he had ever even touched it.

What took me by surprise was that the room was so neat. I had not taken Louis as a neat person, rather the opposite. Then again, his parents probably had maids cleaning his room every day, which was probably the reason for how clean and organized it was.

While I examined Louis' room, he sat down on the edge of his king-sized bed, looking down at the floor. I stayed in the door frame, my eyes on his figure. "You told me I didn't have to worry," I mumbled, knitting my eyebrows together.

He snapped his head up to look at me. "I uh... I didn't realize it was going to be that bad," he grimaced.

Letting out a sigh, I walked over to sit down next to him. "What happened?"

He reached up to run a hand through his fringe, turning to look out the window in front of us. "Things haven't always been _this_ bad, but... do you remember how I once told you that I would switch places with you any day when you said that you couldn't afford everything you wanted?" He wondered.

It was the day before my birthday party, of course I remembered. I probably remembered every moment of the time we had ever spent together. "Yeah," I breathed, realizing now what he had meant back then.

"I just... I would because I don't really care about money. You have a family who cares about you, who loves you, and that is everything I have ever wanted. The only reason my family even gives me money is that they don't want people to get suspicious, and they also want to show off just how wealthy we are. They don't do it because they love me. Fuck, they don't even give a shit about me," he said in frustration, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth.

I didn't know how to react, but I felt so much compassion for him although I couldn't picture having my parents not caring about me like that. My mom had always been there, caring for and loving me whenever I needed it. My dad was too before he left and started a new life.

"I... I don't know what to say, Louis. I... I'm so sorry," I said, making him shake his head.

"Please, I don't need your pity. This is my life, and it's always been this way. I'm used to having them not caring about me," he muttered, turning his body away from me.

I let out a sigh, running my hand through my curls. "I'm not saying it out of pity, Louis. Damn it, I don't know if you still don't believe me, but I do care about you, and no one deserves to have parents who don't give a shit about their child."

He turned his head to look at me, his eyes showing nothing but sadness. "That's kind of the reason why things are worse now."

"What do you mean?" I frowned, not catching on.

He closed his eyes for a few seconds before opening them again. "It was the day before your birthday. I was just looking for my favorite pair of jeans, but I couldn't find them anywhere, so I went to check the other closets in the house, thinking the maids had mistaken my jeans for someone else's. So, when I got to my mom's, I was surprised when I started lifting her pants only to find a picture frame," he paused to inhale a deep breath, looking down at his lap.

"It was a picture of my mom with a man who had his arm wrapped around her, and I was on their lap. What caught me off guard was that the man in the picture wasn't who I had come to know as my dad. It wasn't... it wasn't Mark. This man was a complete stranger to me, and it all just started falling into place in my head. How Mark never looked at me the same way he looked at the girls, how he never treated me the same way he treated them, and how he never cared for me as he did for my sisters. It was all because he isn't my real dad. My mom was in a relationship with another man and had me before she met Mark and got pregnant with Lottie."

He shook his head, biting his bottom lip harshly. "I just... I just realized why they always treated me differently than the girls. I was never meant to be part of the family, Harry. They never wanted me to be here. I just... I was probably not even meant to be born. I was just a... a mistake. A fucking mistake."

With that, he got up from the bed at a quick pace only to kick the leg of it harshly, making the bed screech a little. He had this look in his eye that told me he was ready to punch something, so I got up too to take his hand in mine, squeezing it gently.

"Louis, look at me," I said softly.

I didn't know if it was my touch or what I said that made him turn his face to look at me, but it worked because the muscles in his face relaxed within a second. "It's okay to cry. You don't have to feel like you need to hold it back," I told him, making him furrow his eyebrows.

"I'm not going to fucking cry," he muttered, averting his gaze.

I let out a sigh, looking down at his hand that was still in mine. I felt ecstatic about it, but I had to force my feelings down right now because this was about Louis. So, I did the only thing I knew would help in this situation; I took a step forward and wrapped my arms around him, pulling my hand out of his in the process. I leaned my head against his shoulder as he stood there, frozen in place.

It took at least ten seconds until he finally gave in and wrapped his arms around me in return, bringing my body even closer to him. He clutched the fabric at the back of my purple hoodie as he let out a quiet sob, burying his face in my shoulder. His grip on my sweater tightened while the sobs continued, filling the silence in the room.

We stood there for a few minutes, wrapped up in each other while Louis let out small sniffles until he pulled away, looking down at the floor with his face red from crying.

He started shaking his head, running his hands through his hair furiously. "Fuck, I can't believe I just did that. I don't... I don't fucking cry."

"It's okay, Louis," I told him, making him knit his eyebrows together.

"No, it's not okay. Nothing is fucking okay. I don't even care about all this. I don't care that Mark isn't my fucking dad because he has never cared about me anyway. I'm just... I'm just mad that they never told me. It's been eighteen years, and they never once thought of telling me that I have another man's blood running through my veins."

He angrily wiped his damp cheeks, striding over to sit down on the edge of his bed again. He buried his face in his hands, letting out a loud groan. "I don't even know who my fucking dad is. I've never even met him. Hell, I didn't even know he existed. Do you know what that feels like, Harry?"

I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't even acknowledge the fact that he was calling me by my real name. Honestly, it was the last thing I was thinking about right now.

"No, I don't," I said, shaking my head. "I can't put myself in your situation even if I wanted to. Yes, my dad left me and our family just like I believe yours did too, but I've always known he existed and I know he loved me back in the days even if he decided to leave and start over. I... I'm so sorry all these things happened to you. I never... I never realized you were keeping so much within you. How did you manage to do so over all these years?" I asked him, my eyebrows furrowed in concern.

He shrugged his shoulders, avoiding eye contact. "My life has always been the same, except when I found out about the dad thing, so there was really nothing for you guys to notice."

I sat down beside him on the bed again, slumping my shoulders a little. "So when you told me that you didn't like it when people felt the need to care about you...?"

"It's because I have always taken care of myself. I don't need anyone else to do it for me," he muttered. "There was one exception, and it was the day after Emily's party when I woke up on your couch. I was about to head home when Gemma offered to give me some painkillers and a glass of water. I just... I just wanted to be taken care of for once. You had already helped me, and it felt like I was living some kind of dream, so I decided to let it continue for a while." He paused to shake his head, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Whenever I'm around your family, I see everything I don't have, everything I've always wanted to have. It makes me envy you so much, but it also makes me happy because I realize that there is another side of how a family can be."

I started feeling tears welling up in my eyes by his words. It was just so heartbreaking to hear him explain all this. "Mom and Gemma really like you, you know? They actually even wanted to invite you over for dinner a few days," I said, chuckling with glossy eyes.

He turned to me, a look of hope in his eyes. "Really? Why would they want to do that?"

_Because they know how much you mean to me._

"Because they have noticed how much I seem to enjoy being in your company, and they really like you, as I just said. You've always had Gemma on your side, and you really stole mom's heart when you came over that one time only to throw me over your shoulder, although she's always liked you too," I explained, making him shake his head in disbelief.

"Your family is really something. I'd love to go over there sometime," he said, cracking a small smile.

"You're always welcome," I promised him, giving his thigh a light squeeze. It made him turn to look at me, his lips twitched slightly.

"So, there was actually another reason why you were acting the way you were on my birthday. You told me you had a bad day in general, but I didn't realize it was this bad," I frowned.

He inhaled a deep breath. "I just didn't want anyone to know, so it was a good thing that I had other stuff to blame my behavior on. I mean, I was a bit disappointed that you never told me that you were bisexual, but now that I think about it, I had no right to say that. I've been keeping secrets from you guys about my family for years, so why couldn't you? And some people have a hard time talking about their sexuality. I just... It just felt like we had grown closer, you know? And at the moment, I felt disappointed that you couldn't trust me with something like that. It's ridiculous, I know," he muttered, looking away from me.

I shook my head. "No, it's okay. I was stupid for saying the things I did about us not growing closer, which I've already explained to you. I regret it so much. I just... I was never comfortable with telling any of you about my sexuality because I thought you would judge me. All you guys do is basically talk about girls, and I thought you wouldn't accept the fact that I find guys attractive too, you know? Maybe it's immature, but I never felt the need to tell you about it."

_Plus, I was afraid you would realize I had feelings for you._

"It's not immature. I just didn't realize how personal it is to talk about your sexuality. It was stupid of me to get upset with you for not telling me," he said, his eyes directed at his lap. "And I would never judge you or anyone, alright? It doesn't matter who you like. Besides, you can't really decide it yourself anyway."

I wondered if he would say the same thing if he knew he was the one I was head over heels for. I doubted that.

I cracked a small smile, biting my bottom lip. "Thank you, Louis."

He turned to meet my gaze, a smile gracing his lips too. "No problem."

We were quiet for a while then, just taking in everything that had happened and everything we had said. It was nice and comfortable, something people probably wouldn't understand if they weren't in the room with us.

"Did you... did you ever tell your mom that you found the picture?" I wondered, making his head snap to me.

He nodded his head slowly. "Yeah, the day after that, during breakfast. Chaos erupted the second I let the words fall from my lips. Mom started crying and Mark started yelling. I don't think they ever planned on telling me. They wanted me to live a lie throughout my entire life and never find out why they always treated me differently. It makes me sick just thinking about it," he breathed heavily.

I looked down at my fiddling fingers on my lap, just now realizing why Louis had brought up my dad that time in his car. He had asked me how I had coped with him leaving. Of course he did. His dad had never wanted to be a part of his life, and he had only found out recently. Of course he had a hard time taking it all in. He probably didn't know how to handle the situation.

Feeling even more for the guy sitting next to me, I decided to lean my head against his shoulder, feeling his muscles through his hoodie against my curls. "I'm glad you told me all this," I whispered, and I could feel him tense for a second until he visibly relaxed.

It took a while until he replied, though. "I'm glad I did too. It feels nice to talk about it to someone apart from Lottie and Fizzy. They are the only people I have ever spoken about it to."

I looked up from his shoulder to meet his eyes with mine. "I feel honored," I smiled faintly, and he returned it.

A few minutes later, he got up from the bed to walk over to the bedroom door, opening it slightly. "I don't want to sound rude, but I'd better drive you home now. It's getting late and you haven't eaten anything after practice," he told me.

I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, nodding my head slowly. Truth be told, I didn't want to go home. I didn't want to leave him. I wanted to stay here and watch him while he fell asleep just to make sure that he was actually going to fall asleep. I wanted to make sure he was treated the way he should be because I knew he wouldn't by anyone else in this house apart from his younger sisters.

"Okay," I said reluctantly, getting up from the bed to follow him out of the room.

We walked down the stairs in silence, him a few steps in front of me. He quickly slipped his shoes on, throwing his jacket over his shoulder as soon as we reached the entryway. When he noticed that I wasn't even halfway done yet, he tilted his head to the side. "I'll go heat up the car," he announced, and I just nodded my head, knowing I didn't have to worry since I was leaving soon too.

However, before I had time to exit the open front door, I could feel a presence behind me. I expected it to be Lottie or Fizzy since they were the only people I actually knew in the family, so I was nothing but surprised to see Jay standing there, a sad smile on her face.

She didn't say anything when the sad smile turned into a look of apology, and I didn't have time to acknowledge more until she walked away, leaving me to stare wide-eyed at the empty spot where she was just standing.

I pulled myself together when I heard a car honk, and I quickly left the house to sprint over to Louis' black sports car in the driveway. Opening the passenger door, I slipped inside before shutting it behind me.

Louis was turned to me when my eyes fell on him, a questioning look on his face. "What took you so long?" He wondered, making me knit my eyebrows together.

"I just forgot I left my bag in here, so I started looking for it in the entryway," I shrugged, making him narrow his eyes at me in suspicion.

He decided to drop it after a few seconds, though, and pulled out of the driveway to start heading in the direction of my house. I reached out to turn on the radio at a low volume, making the atmosphere in the car a little cozier.

"I'm sorry for putting you through all that tonight. I honestly didn't expect things to be that bad," he grimaced.

I shook my head slowly, giving him a reassuring smile. "You already apologized for it, and it's okay. I get that you wanted me to see it for myself to really understand the situation. There's no way I would have thought things were that bad otherwise."

He bit his bottom lip, looking out the windshield while gripping the wheel tightly. "I'm sorry anyway," he muttered.

We were quiet for the rest of the ride, which I didn't mind at all. My head was still spinning from all the new information I had taken in tonight, but I was also getting a bit tired, which was probably because I had practiced soccer for an hour and a half, and because I hadn't eaten anything afterward. The hunger was starting to kick in now.

The second Louis pulled over outside my blue house, I turned to him. "Thank you for the ride," I told him. "See you tomorrow, yeah?"

He flashed me a half-hearted smile as he nodded. "I'll pick you up."

My heart fluttered in my chest at his words, my lips curling.

I then opened the car door to hop out, grabbing my bag in the process to sling it over my shoulder. Before I closed it behind me, though, I found myself hesitating.

"Oh, and Lou?" I said, leaning down to look at him. "Don't ever think you were a mistake, okay? You were not. You were meant to be born and be here today. Please don't ever think otherwise."

Without waiting for an answer, I finally shut the door behind me and walked over to the porch of my house, feeling warmth spread through my chest because wow, I just said that directly to his face.

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End file.
